Ripples
by Django1992
Summary: Two parts of the world. Four people. Two different stories. It's funny how things in Bristol can effect things in Mexico, isn't it? Naomily. This is the sequel to Denial Is Useless. Give it a chance? :
1. Skipping Stones

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skins! I wish I did though!**

**Chapter One:**

"So, what's it like now, then, James?"

"It's...peaceful, you know?"

*

A year, maybe a bit more, it's been since everything just...mellowed. Nothing's happening, nothing kicking off, it's just the way it is. They all like it like that. It's nice and they splash about in it, not because it's fun, but because it's better than the crying, aching and fucking that swiftly follows behind chaos. He leans on the bar and sighs. Thursday night in Keith's pub, it's not the same without Naomikins here to keep him company and he fucking misses her company, he does. He listens to it all; the light chatter of the fresh eighteen year olds ready to have their first legal beer, the sound of the dart hitting the board over and over as some punters try to get one hundred and eighty and fail miserably every time (a chorus of groans follows) and then finally he listens to the sound of someone heading to the bathroom, the break of the door, and then the sound of sick filling the toilet bowl and then being flushed away. Nice. This is his life now and it's boring, but it's better. Two students start to kick off. "Oi! Not in my pub! Both of you out now before I set Cookie here on you and you both end up on the floor sucking each others cocks! Get out!" Keith hollows at the two and they scramble, not because Cook's hard, but because when someone shouts at you the first instinct is to run and, apparently, they listen to instinct. Keith turns round and winks at Cook. He winks back and grabs an empty glass. "What can I get you, mate?" Cook asks as a customer approaches the bar.

"Can I have five pints of Carling, please, mate?" Cook nods to himself and watches as the guy turns back round to face a group sitting in the far corner. They're too old to be students but too young to be adults. Somewhere in-between. He's not one to ask because he doesn't give a fuck who they are or what the fuck they're doing here, so he turns away and focuses on the task at hand. Fills the five classes and slides them onto the counter gently. The guy moves forward and starts collecting them. Cook looks over his shoulder and smirks a little to himself. His eyes kick up and he leans back against the bar with a laugh. "Something a funny, mate?" Cook's eyebrow cocks because he wasn't expecting that. Especially not from this weedy little fuck standing in front of him. He just winks at the weedy little fuck and nods for him to take his drink. The guys jaw clenches and Cook's laugh sounds out louder than before. "I said, is there something fucking funny?"

"Piss off, twat. Don't mess with someone you can't handle, alright?" Cook spits and the kid just smirks back. The kid keeps surprising him. Fair play, don't judge a book by it's cover and shit, but this little fuck is pissing him off now. Keith glares over at Cook and catches his attention with a cough. Cook rolls his eyes and holds out his hand. "That'll be 9.98, mate." The guy looks at him with a smug smile like he's won some sort of battle and hands Cook a tenner.

"I want the change."

Cook fishes around in cashier and hands him back the two pence. Fucking dickhead. What type of cunt what's two pee change? Prick. This is why he hates working in this bar sometimes, you know? Sometimes someone just wants to kick off. Pricks. He can't do anything though because Keith would go mental and Keith is the only person that would hire him. He can't risk the job for a punch up. He's a fucking adult now....can't risk a punch up at all. The guy swaggers back towards the table and that's when she catches his eye again. He'd forgotten about her for a second because of the guy. "Mate, you forgot something!" He calls. There's a groan and then the guy turns back round, all five drinks in hand, and spits "What?"

He points. Fuck it, he doesn't care if it's rude. "She doesn't like Carling."

"What?" He says again. Fucking broken record.

"Her. She doesn't like Carling. Understand?" He says it slow. Makes the guy seem like a tit and fucking loves it.

"And how the fuck would you know that?"

"Because that's Katie Fucking Fitch and she likes a Guinness, alright?" The guy just rolls his eyes and turns back round. Fine, give her the wrong drink, that's fine by Cook. He's satisfied a little as well because he's got a little revenge. Not intentional though. He watches as the guy places the glass down in front of Katie. She picks it up and sips it...spits it straight back out. Because she doesn't like fucking Carling. She smiles kindly at the guy like 'Nice effort' and then heads toward the bar. She still has the same walk, you know? He's noticed that. She hasn't changed much and, to be honest, he's the same cunt he was last year, just a bit calmer. Some guy trips her. He hears a laugh and she stumbles a little, but doesn't fall. Turns and spits "Dick, watch where you're going, yeah?" He laughs as she composes herself. Takes her a few minutes but when she's sure she's got everything perfect she heads towards the bar again. A glass of beer is sitting on the counter. She looks at the guy next to it and points, gestures to ask if it's his. He shakes his head, no. She reaches forward and takes the glass, sips. Guinness. Smiles as she watches Cook busily help the new customers that have come to the bar. Misses him. Not sometimes, all the fucking time.

*

_Dear James,_

_We're in Mexico now, just to let you know. Paris was great and all but in the end all the lovey dovery artistic stuff, just gets a little bit much Emily's got us some ridiculous Mexican looking costumes! Beards and everything. The things I do for that girl, huh? When did you ever think you'd see me wearing a fake beard and a sombrero? It's fucking hot here. I'm sweating like a pig all the time and the way Emily wants to go at it all the time? When I shag her it feels like a saunter! Sorry. Oh, who the fuck cares, you want to hear that! How's things in Bristol....still boring? It's nearly over now, it just hit me, you know? We've been to like ten different countries in three months and the last on our list is finally here...bit depressing to be honest because as tempting as Bristol sounds...How's Katie? Emily wants to know because she's trying to play the considerate sister and what not. Fitch the bitch? Don't answer that, James. It's rhetorical. Look...I've been meaning to say this for a while now...but I'm glad we're friends again, yeah? All that stuff with Freddie....fuck. I didn't even know James. I'm sorry, yeah? We'll be back soon and everything will be fine again. Same old, same old. Well, apart from me being a 'massive lezza' now. Get over it. You'll never get to bone me now! _

_See you soon._

_Naomikins_

_Xxxx_

"What you doing, Naoms?" She smiles as soon as the redhead utters the first word. Hears the husky voice float in from the other room and smiles. It's nice. Being like this together. Out of Bristol in their own little world. She remembers when Emily had first come up with the idea. Fucking insane, is what she thought. Emily persuaded her, the best way she can and she caved, of course she fucking caved, she always caves when it comes to the redhead. Leans back in her chair and breathes out a sigh when she feels the redhead lean over behind her and her on the neck. She watches as a pale hand reaches out and grabs the letter from her hand. She holds it up in front of her face and an amused looked followed by a crease of confusion takes form. "Why do you send him letters? Why not email?"

"Because Ems, dear, James does not own a computer and the last time he used it for anything was to compete in his one day wanking contest to see how many wanks he could have and, well, you know what he used the internet for." Emily's face is now turned up in disgust and she drops the letter back into Naomi's lap.

"Nice."

"He's lovely once you get to know him."

"I know. Trust me."

"'Trust me?' Emily Fitch the enigma."

"Well, I happen to think that mystery looks quite good on me." Emily winks and Naomi pulls her towards her.

"Anything looks good on you." They smile at each other. Then they kiss. That's the way it goes and always goes. Ever since the day they left Bristol they've been at it like rabbits. Emily pulls back and smiles down at the blonde. Sits in her lap and pushes some hair back behind the blonde's ear, it's getting long now.

"You're quite the charmer, you know that, Naoms?"

"Well, I pulled you, didn't I?"

"No, didn't you know, dear, miserable cunts are what do it for me?" Naomi pouts and hates herself for it. Baby. Fucking baby, but it's Emily and she has to. Her mannerism are changing and so is her attitude and the worst part of it all? Emily didn't even ask her to! She's just doing because of Emily. For Emily. Subconsciously. The redhead giggles and leans down, takes Naomi's bottom lip into her mouth and suckles it. Naomi groans a bit and pushes at the redhead's shoulders.

"How's things in the Fitch Family? You were on the phone to your dad for a long time last night. Trouble?" Emily shakes her head, no. Smiles.

"Not really, James is getting more and more curious about the opposite sex. Got in trouble at school for looking up some girls skirts. Pervert."

"Sounds like we have another Cook in the making!" Naomi jokes and Emily slaps her on the shoulder.

"Don't even joke!"

"Sorry, continue Miss Fitch."

"Mum's still being a bit of an ignorant to the whole 'us' thing but she's slowly getting over it apparently. Katie's been a bit off lately, incredibly bitchy or something. Dad doesn't know why."

"When isn't your sister bitchy." Naomi doesn't ask it. She states it and Emily's eyes narrow.

"You promised me you'd try to get on with her...."

"Sorry! Sorry! I am, I will. Old habits die hard and all that?" She offers and Emily smiles back. Pushes the blonde down on the bed and laughs. "Have we..." Swallows hard. "Got time before we go out?"

"Naoms, we've always got time for that." They fuck.

*

"I'm going to head to the bar! What do you want?" Emily calls over the music and Emily points towards bar and motions with her hand the universal sign for drink. Naomi just nods. Doesn't tell Emily what she wants because she doesn't need to Emily. Emily knows and swans off without the blonde. Leaving her in the middle of a packed crowd, Naomi's used to being left alone in a forgien country now so she slowly sways to the music. It's nice, especially when Emily joins her a couple of minutes later and presses a kiss to her neck as she hands her a drink. She takes it and sips. White Russian. Good girl, Ems. Presses back against her girl and dances. Just dance. It's not heated or passionate it's just dancing and she likes that they can do just that. It doesn't have to be all about the fucking. She likes that they are _friends. _That they _know _each other. "What you thinking about?" Emily whispers huskily in her ear.

"You." She turns into the girls arms and presses a long kiss against the redhead's lips. Emily smiles back and presses a kiss on her forehead. They dance. Again. Just for a bit.

When finally they stop dancing they head over towards the bar. It's a festival sort of things, lots going on; dancers, stools and some cultural stuff that Naomi doesn't understand, but humours Emily when she points everything out with 'oohs' and 'awws' and kisses her on the cheek when Emily wins her something at one of the stools. When they finally come to a stop in the centre of it all it's crowded and someone accidently knocks Emily off her stool and Naomi helps her up and quickly calls them a 'twat!'. Turns out that the person she says it to is British and she does understand the meaning. She's English, in fact. Doesn't say much either, just "Sorry." And then she's gone again and they stare after the girl, just for a second though because there is so much more to do and see.

She leaves Emily for a bit to look for a toilet. Takes her a long time because she doesn't know the area and the locals freak her out a little with their hyper attitudes at the moment. It's hits her fast, a feeling she's not ever really felt before, well, not on this level. She's wanted stuff that other kids had sometimes. She's been jealous before, but not like this. Her eyes sharpen on the brunette that's a talking to her girlfriend and she feels her blood boil. Hates it. Hates the girl for even making small talk with Emily because....Emily's hers. She doesn't have time to think about overacting because she's already moving towards the girls and coughs when she reaches Emily. "Hey, Naoms, this is..."

"The twat." It's said coolly, not harshly though. Just incredibly calm and that pisses Naomi off because she'd rather it be harsh then calm. The girl doesn't offer out a hand she just turns back to Emily. "See you around, Emily." Then she's gone again. Naomi watches her go. Big boots, that's the first thing she notices, a shirt dress and tights. That's what the girls dressed in, she looks a mess as well, but in that good sort of way that probably has guys chasing after her all the time.

"Naomi, dear, you're frowning." Emily nudges her gently and Naomi shakes her head and turns towards her girlfriend.

"Sorry."

"What's up?"

"Nothing. Who was that?"

"Oh, her? That's Effy."

*

_Dear Naomikins,_

_Got your letter, babe. Yeah, things are shit here in Bristol. Fucking boring and shit all happening. Mexico good? Always wanted to go there myself, it's just one of those places, ain't it? You best be getting fucking wrecked, blonde, otherwise I'll go mental when you get back! Some weedy little fucker started on me last night in the pub. Fucking cunt. I swear all these kids that just finished college think they are hard as fuck. Dickheads. Katiekins? She's fine. Don't speak to her much now, blonde, you know that. Drifted, didn't we? Miss her...don't need to talk about that though. Don't tell your lesbian lover that though, don't want her worrying about her sister or nothin'. Oh, and since we're talking about Red; feel free to tell me everything about your sex life. Need something to think about a night just before bed. I'm glad we're mates again as well, Naomikins! I fucking missed you, blondie! When you're back Ems, you and me at Keith's on Thursday nights, alright? Drinks on me. We'll go fucking mental because I need a fucking party! See you soon, Naomikins. Don't lick too much pussy you might lock your jaw and then you'd only be able to suck cock and what good lezza wants to do that? _

_See you muff muncher_

_Cook _

He swaggers down the street. Heads passed the drunk students that are fucking in the alley next to him and walks on past the chippie. Stops in and gets some. He eats them outside and listens to the kids fucking in the alley. He ain't a perv. He's not doing it for cheap thrills because the Cookie Monster can get all the thrills of his own! Whenever he wants! He throws down the empty carton and wipes his lips roughly. Ketchup stays on his hand and he fights it with his fingers, scrapes it off and licks his fingers clean. When was the last time he had a shag? Been about a month now. Doesn't miss it as much as he thought he would. It's strange because he used to love fucking and now all he does is works. He's fucking becoming a normal person and all normal people are cunts, yeah? So, he shakes his head and doesn't think about it. He reaches the post office a couple of minutes later and pulls out a crumpled up letter from his pocket, presses it hard against the post box and straightens it out. He never puts it in an envelope until he gets there, doesn't know why, something his mum used to do that he picked up. He pulls out an envelope and stops half way. A giggle and a laugh, fairly common things on a Bristol night. Kids fucking. Cook gets over it because let's face it, at least they're getting some. He turns and looks at the pair on the wall next to him. He recognises the hair immediately and sighs. Shit. Fuck sake. Katie Fitch and that cunt from the other night. Of fucking course because that's what he needed tonight as well. The guy breaks up and stares at Cook. "What you looking at?"

"Didn't you get your filling last night?" Cook offers back solemnly. He doesn't want to argue...but he does want to kick the kids fucking head in. Won't though because...Katie's there. Fuck sake. What's wrong with him? She looks at him and smiles. He smiles back and the kid looks between the two of them.

"Don't be eyeing my girl now. You had your turn and you blew it, back the fuck off." Cook's face turns to one of confusion.

"Look, who the fuck are you, kid? You don't know me so why don't you get to fuck, yeah?" Cook points off in the opposite direction.

"Why don't you make me?" The kid moves forward. "And my names not kid. It's Collin."

"Alright, Collin, get to fuck, yeah? There are leagues and you ain't in my so piss off because you fucking regret it."

"Big man, you are, aren't you? I heard things about you, Cook," He steps back and throws out his hands. "Katie tells me things, you know? Says you used to be some sort of legend. Proper mental, you know? Drinking, fucking, sleeping. That's what I wanted to see when I met you, and what do I get when I finally meet you. Some washed up has been that hasn't had a pussy in months and everyone hates. So much for a legend. You're nothing." Cook doesn't reply. He doesn't give a fuck what's coming out of this kid's mouth or how he's seen anymore. He's fucking changed, yeah? He doesn't want to be nothing anymore. He isn't nothing anymore. JJ. Best friends again they are now. See's him at least once a week and they go down to the grave. See Freddie. It's nice and then they go back to JJ's after and watch Countdown because JJ likes it and Cook...he doesn't mind it that much, either. He stares over and Katie and looks to see if she's going to let this kid get away with this shit...she does. Looks down at the ground and sighs. What the fuck has happened to her?

"You okay, Katiekins?" He asks and moves towards her.

Collin cuts him off; of course he fucking does because he's trying to make his mark here in Bristol. Too bad Cook doesn't care at all. "Don't talk to her."

"What the fuck did you just say to me?" Cook growls and pushes Collin back.

"She's off limits, yeah?"

"And I give a fuck because?"

"Otherwise I'll kick your head in." Cook laughs. It's the first genuine laugh since Blondie and Red went away. It comes on so strong that he grabs his sides and leans back against the wall. His breathing comes fast and he howls it all out. Collin? This weedy little fuck, yeah right and he's the king of fucking France! Cook leans right into the kids face and says "Get to fuck, little boy. This is big man's land."

"Collin, stop." Katie speaks. She's not quiet about it or anything. "Please." That's something that he wasn't expecting. Asking? Fuck. What the fuck has happened to her? Cook moves towards her again and Collin punches him in the back of the head and kicks him in the back on the legs. His knees hit the floor hard. A knee is pressed into his back hard and he cries out as his face hits the floor. Fuck. Sucker punched. Fuck sake, Cook pay fucking attention! Katie cries out for Collin to stop but he doesn't and he moves to straddle Cook. Like fuck! Cook kicks up and pushes the kid away. "I don't wanna fucking hurt you, kid." He's only a year or two younger, but still, it ain't fucking right. Cook has morals and that includes not beating the shit out of younger kids.

Collin laughs and punches Cook in the face again. Fine! Have it your way. Cook grabs his arm and pulls it up behind his back and holds him to him. "Right, you little cunt! You take Katiekins here, yeah, and piss off back home. It's your bed time soon and I don't want you to be having nightmares about the beating I'll give you if you're not gone in the neck fucking five seconds." Tightens his hold and Collin cries out. Pushes him away. "Understand?"

"Collin, let's go home. Fuck sake, grow up." That's what he likes to hear. Katiekins at her prime and he smiles broadly at her when she looks at him. She smiles back a little and then turns toward Collin. Holds out her hand and he takes it. They walk away and Cook is left staring after them, hard faced. His nose hurts, fuck it does, may be little but that little fucker packs a punch. He rubs at it. Collin turns round and smirks at Cook. Makes a licking out sign about Katie next to him. That does it. Not all the other shit. The punches or insults or provoking. That one little sign at Katie. It starts something. Deep inside him. It bubbles to the surface. Fuck sake. He needs to see JJ. He pulls out the letter, roots into his pocket and pulls out a pen scribbles something extra at the bottom and them posts it. Lights a fag and takes a heavy inhale. Breathes out. Time to fake it again. "PRICKKKK!" He cries and watches as Collin jumps a little and turns back round. He holds his groin and gestures to Katie with waggling eyebrows. He turns back and swaggers away. "COME AND GET SOME! HA HA!" He claps his hands together and jumps down the street. Time to fine some fucking action. Cookie Monster needs some pussy and there is plenty of that in Bristol. Cook's motto is girls are like numbers. If they're under sixteen do them in your head.

*

Her fingers undo the envelope slowly. Her eyes scan the letter and she drops it down to the table at the end. Sits there and stares at it. Cook. "Naoms, Effy's invited us out tonight, interested?"

Her brow creases in confusion. "What? When did you get her number?" She calls back and Emily pops into the room.

"Last night. When we were speaking."

"Why?"

"Because she gave me it. What's up with you? You've been in a shitty mood all day."

"Nothing. Don't worry."

"Fine." It doesn't feel like their first argument, but it is and she fucking hates it. She picks up the letter and reads the bottom bit again.

_The thing is Naomikins...peace? It's just the calm before the storm....and the storm? One hell of a rocky ride._

She's fucking hates storms.

**A/N: Hope this was okay. It's a bit slow starting I know but give it time and hopefully it will get better :D Tell me what you think...should I have sequeled this? :P Thanks to anyone that reads. You rock!**


	2. Waves

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skins! I wish I did though!**

**Chapter Two:**

"Come on, Naoms." Emily holds out her hands and stares at the blonde expectantly. Naomi sighs and crosses her arms. She doesn't want to do this.

"Do we have to Ems? Can't we just stay in and watch some Mexican soap operas? Please?" She doesn't want to sound weak. Doesn't want to beg. She doesn't beg. She's still Naomi Campbell even though she's got Emily now...doesn't mean she's changed completely. She's still a selfish, miserable bitch when she wants to be. Stubborn as you like. She's jealous. Doesn't need to be though because this Effy girl hasn't actually done anything. Just...it's Emily. Emily's hers. The strawberries are hers and she's...scared of losing that and she hates herself for being scared. Hates it. Emily coughs and looks at her angrily.

"Well?"

"What?" It's harsh. Typical Naomi. Blunt. Very fucking blunt.

"What's up with you today? You've been a right bitch."

"Well, I'm sorry, but maybe I don't want to go out with a complete stranger that we met on our first night in a foreign country. Maybe I think there's something a bit iffy with that, okay? Christ. You're so careless sometimes."

"Careless? How am I? People meet people on holiday all the time and become the best of friends...what the fuck is this really about Naomi?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me! You've been off all morning. Not looking at me properly and sulking in your fucking room. Careless? At least I'm not acting like a kid!" Naomi frowns. She's got that frown to a tee and it's followed up by a glare that would make Katie Fitch back off.

"Fuck this." She doesn't retreat. She wants to argue, she really does, but this is Emily and she doesn't want to upset her because, because she loves her. It's still daunting after a year and a bit, but it's true. She thinks about it as she walks away, sighing. Love fucks you up, sometimes.

*

"Where's Naomi?" Effy asks as the redhead slides down at the bar next to her. Emily doesn't answer at first. Just watches the way Effy's hand plays with the bottom of her glass. Slowly rotating it all the time; for a calm person she can't keep still. Finds it strange but doesn't ask Effy about it. Naomi's right on some level. She's only just met the brunette and she's already arranged to meet her a couple of times already. Naomi. Fuck sake. She's a moody cow sometimes. Emily knows that. Likes to think that she knows everything about Naomi but she doesn't because she's got no fucking idea what's up with the blonde tonight and that pisses her off more than Naomi being off with her itself. Effy asks again. "Where's Naomi?"

"Can't come. She's feeling a bit sick." Why did she lie? No time to think because Effy's pushing a glass filled with a dark liquid towards her and her hand instinctively wraps around it. "What's this?"

"Sambuca. Enjoy." Effy downs the rest of her glass and then breathes out heavily. Doesn't flinch when her throat should burn. Emily notices this too. Her throat doesn't contract when the harsh spirit slips down her throat; it just stays perfectly still, glistens a little with a coat of sweat and Emily instinctively licks her lips. Shakes her head as Effy slams the empty glass back on the table and looks at the redhead, square in the eye. "Dance?" One word questions and answers. That's a trend with Effy, too. She's fascinating, so all Ems can do is hold out her hand as the brunette pulls her into the middle of the dance floor. They dance. Just like Naomi and Emily had done the night before and it is nice. Very nice, the way Effy grinds into her back, breathes heavily in her ear. Makes her want to claw her own skin off and push Effy away. Does the second. Walks to the bathroom and stares at herself in the mirror. Hundreds of woman around her are trying to do their make up so they look good for their man and all Ems wants to do right now is push every single one of them out of the way and look at herself. Truly look at herself. Can't though. This isn't Thelma and Louise. She isn't the lead actress in a film so she can't magically appear at the front, so she waits. Finally gets there and splashes water in her face. Christ, she's hot.

"You okay?" Doesn't know when Effy got there. Doesn't care at the moment. It's getting hard to breath. Her face is like a heated stove right now.

"Yeah, just a bit hot." Effy nods her head and leans next to her.

"Want some?" She hasn't seen the bag of white powder that Effy's holding up to her in a long time. Hasn't done it since...well, since she grew up. That stuffs for teenagers and her and Naomi decided a long time ago that drugs were just one of the things to put on the list of things you'd tried but never stuck with. Fuck it. Naomi's not here for the night and it's not liked she'd disapprove anyway so she follows Effy into a cubicle and watches the brunette lay out a couple of lines. Bends down and snorts it. Sighs when she opens her eyes again. Effy's a bit more...less focused now. The brunette breaks out into a massive smile when Emily's head rolls back and hits the cubicle. She giggles to herself a little and stares up at the lights, relaxed. Fuck she loves drugs. That's where the fun begins.

Shots. That's the only thing she remembers doing before it all goes blank the morning after. She'd been doing vodka with Effy with a couple of lads from the US of A and they'd trashed them. "Go on, girls finish it off."

Emily winks at him and finishes the last three shots placed in front of her. "You got nothing on me, surfer boy!" Her fingers dangles in front of his face for a moment but they're both too drunk to notice it, let alone care.

"Fine! I bet you fifty that you can't do another ten shots!" He replies and slams a green note down on the table in front of them.

"Sorry, cowboy, we brits don't take dollar. Sterling or you can get to fuck!" Urgh, she hates drunk Emily. She's like a carbone copy of Cook on some levels. Can't stop herself because that's what booze does.

"Fine, what else do you want? Some of this maybe?" motions down to his cock and he and his mate high five. Effy scoffs that same time as Emily and they glance at each other.

"Not interested."

"What? Are you a lesbian or something?"

"Don't be so arrogant. Just because I don't want your cock doesn't mean I'm a lesbian!" Emily exclaims and throws her hand up in the air, nearly topples a bit but Effy catches her.

"Don't lie." Effy whispers in her ear with a smirk. "It's better to tell the truth." Emily swallows hard. Not because of what Effy's said but because she can feel warm breath on the back of her neck and it sends shivers down her spine.

"Fine! I'm gay! I'm a big ol' lesbian! And that's why I don't want some of you! Or your cock! Cock is....sooooo overrated." This time she does fall forward and Effy's arms wrap around her and pull her back to her chest. She feels soft mounds press into her back and sighs.

"You've head too much. Time to go home." Doesn't suggest or ask it. Effy states it. Pulls Emily up gently and wraps her arms around her waist. The two American lads are still jeering at them but Effy gives them the finger and Emily, well, she's fucked. She remembers staggering a bit the morning after, then a riding in a car back to her place and finally remembers Effy kissing her on the cheek good night...but only because Emily had kissed her cheek first. She saluted the brunette and then staggered in the door. Her head fucking aches and as she sits up she sees the one thing she doesn't ever want to see. Angry Naomi.

*

_Dear James,_

_Everything okay over there? That last bit on your last letter was a bit iffy. What's going on over there? What's up with Katie? And a 'weedy little fuck' who was that? Don't get into any trouble Cook. It's not worth it. Just let it be whoever the fuck it was. I don't want to have to bail you out again, okay? Fuck sake. I thought you said everything was peaceful. My own fault for forgetting that your definition of things were the complete opposite of everyone else's in the entire world. Mexico? It's alright. Emily wanted to come here more than me and she seems to be having the better time out of the pair of us. She's out with some girl called Effy that we met the other night. Bit of a twat if you ask me but Emily can do whatever the fuck she wants. I'm her girlfriend, not her mother. I need a fag. Right, so, Emily's not back yet. It's fucking three in the morning here. I don't know what time it is in Bristol right now and I can't be fucked to work it out but I'm fucking worried, okay? Where the hell is she? Fuck sake. I hate love James. I fucking hate it._

_Naomikins_

_Xxx_

_P.s She's just got in. 4:26. Fuck sake. She's a mess. Cleaning her up now._

*

Cook watches as they make their way into Keith's. He's got some balls, Cook thinks, as Collin slides into a chair and Katie swiftly follows. There's a couple of them now. Another girl and another guy. The guy's got dirty blonde hair, but not the nice kind, it's as greasy as hell. Nice face though, not pretty but not ugly. Cook would go there. She's a slut. Cook can tell from what she's wearing. Well, it's not like it's his special power or anything; most people would label this girl a slut from first glance. With the stockings and mini skirt that might as well be called knickers. Low cut top and shit loads of make up are the final nail in the coffin. She glances over at him and rolls her eyes. Well, she's a stuck up cow. That's nice to know. He serves the next bloke to come to the counter and looks over the other guy. Emo. That's the only way to describe him. That fucking sweepy fringe, dark clothes and lots of eyeliner. They are the oddest bunch of fucks he's ever seen and he wants to know why Katie is being seen with any of them because the Katie he knows wouldn't even glance at them, let alone sit with them. He leans against the bar and stares at them. Doesn't even realise he's doing it because he's too caught up in his own thoughts.

"Excuse me. You're barman is making me a bit uneasy. He keeps staring at me." He hears Collins voice call across the room towards Keith and it breaks his daze. Dick. He hates that little fucker so much. Picks up the empty coasters on the bar around him and tries to make himself look busy. When he feels Keith's hand on his shoulder he sighs and puts the coasters down. "I ain't doing nothing, Keith."

"I know, Cookie, but the customer is always right. Try to lay low, yeah? I can't afford another complain or this place is going to get shut up." The things you do for family. God, he really fucking hates that kid. Restricted. That's what he is right now and he hates that. He's always hated that. That's why he used to do whatever the fuck he wanted, when he wanted because that's who Cook is and that's who he wants to be. He watched his dad. Sure, he was a massive cunt, but at least he was free, yeah? A house? Picket fence? Family? He doesn't want those things. He wants to be able to drink, fuck, sleep whenever and wherever he wants but he can't do that. He can't lose anyone else. He doesn't want to think about this, let alone admit it but he needs people. _Needs people. _Naomi, Emily and Gina. That is his family now. They may not feel the same about him but it's true to him, yeah? Fuck sake. He's such a soppy cunt. He knows what Naomi feels like sometimes when she's with Emily. Sometimes he wishes he could go back to the way he was. Most of the time he'd rather kill himself than do that.

Throws the coasters down on the table behind him hard. "Whatever you say Keith, man, you're the boss!"

Keith hooks his finger under his jaw and nods at him. "Chin up, Cookie. Cunts can get us down but in the end we're the one serving their drinks, you get me?" Winks. Cook smiles. Wide. Thank you Keith. Thanks very much. He waits. Collin doesn't come to the bar and that gives Cook some satisfaction and makes a smirk form on his lips as the Emo guy approaches. "Three pints of Carlin and a pint of Guinness." His voice matches his image. Sounds like he wants to kill himself. Cook doesn't talk or not just gets him his drink, heads into the back and takes one of the glasses. Spits in the bottom. Green as fuck. If this kid wants to play then Cook's up for that. He's the fucking Cookie Monster and he ain't going to let some little fuck get the better of him. Spits in two more because he wants to make sure that Collin gets a dirty glass. Marks Katie's one with a chip at the bottom of the glass and fills them all with their respective drinks. It's petty, sure, but it's all he's got. Hands the guy the drink and gets a tenner, doesn't give him change because the guys already heading back towards the table.

Collin spits his drink everywhere, followed by the slut and the emo. Cook turns, puts his hand against the wall and suppresses his laugh. God, he wants to fucking belt a massive one out now but he can't because then they could command. The look on his face when he drunk that beer was fucking class though! Takes a deep breath and turns back round. Looks over at Collin and waggles his tongue at him and smirks. Collin gets to his feet and heads over. Slams he glass down on the table and the beer flows out all over the bar.

"Oi, watch what you're doing!" Got to clean that up now, he has. Fuck sake.

"Fuck off, what the fuck did you do to my drink?"

"What are you chatting about? I didn't do nothin' to your drink. Well, apart from serve you it. Be happy I did that. I don't usually serve cunts."

"What did you just say to me?"

"Didn't mean to offend you, mate, forget you were secretly the Queen. Look, if you can't handle your drink then fuck off back to wherever the fuck you came from and let the big boys drink it, yeah?" Collin's eyes narrow.

"Big boys? Pfft. I could drink you under the table, James." Cook laughs again and looks down.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is. So let's do it, yeah? Right now. Vodka shots. First one to throw up loses? Up for it. 'Cookie Monster'?" Mocks Cook.

"Don't call me, James. You're on, boy."

"Cook!" Keith calls with a warning tone.

"I ain't doing nothing wrong, man! Just put it on my tab!"

"You don't have a tab, Cookie!"

"Then make me one, alright!?" Glares at his uncle. Keith nods his head and goes back to serving the other customers. Cook nods to the other barman to get the shots and he does. Cook follows them over to the table and sits down opposite Collin. Little Fuck. Gonna show him right up. Glances at Katie out the corner of his eye. "Alright, Katiekins, How's you?"

"Don't talk to her."

"Forgot you were her owner. Piss off."

"I'm her boyfriend."

"Forget that meant she did everything you asked, as well. She's her own person, yeah? And if she wants to talk to me she can and if you have fucking problem with that, then, let's go outside, yeah?" Collin shuts up after that. Katei doesn't.

"I don't."

"What's that, babe? Don't want what?"

"To talk to you." Oh. Fuck. He sits back in his seat for a second and looks down at his hands. Wasn't expecting that. She's Katiekins, yeah? Always had a good time. Always had a laugh and now she won't even talk to him? Fuck. He hates feeling hurt, but he is. Won't accept how much but when those words left her mouth. He just stilled, you know? Doesn't know what to do.

"Fine, babes, just let me know, yeah? Otherwise I'll go jumping to your defence when you don't want it. Plenty of other women that I could be helping out. I won't say shit next time, yeah?" Forces himself to look at her. She looks down. What's fucking wrong with her? There's something wrong here. He looks over at Collin who's got the biggest smirk on his face ever and raises his lip. "Let's do this, then, yeah, cunt? Because as much as I like alcohol, I like minge a lot more and my tongue needs it's exercise, if you know what I mean?" Waggles his eyebrows. Back to faking.

"I'm not sure I do. Elaborate." Collin presses.

Cook smirks. A challenge. "I'm pretty sure your girlfriend knows what I mean? She's a bucker, you know that? Loved it when I used to go down on her. Moaned my name over and over. Kept coming back for more and I loved the way it rolled off her tongue! Fucking mint, she was. Top notch. Too bad a weedy little fuck like you can't give her what she needs. What you say, Katiekins? Up for another round with the Cookie Monster. I'll give you a two for one orgasm ratio if you promise me that you won't come too hard." Now he feels more like the old Cook. Katie goes red and looks down. Blushing? Fuck off. She never does that. Most confident lass he's ever fucking met. What the fuck?

"Watch what you say boy otherwise something bad might happen to you." Collin growls and Cook turns towards him with a quirked eye.

"Less talk, more drinking." So they do. Shot after shot. Cook doesn't even feel the effects after eight because he's used to it. Doesn't even feel the burn anymore but Collin does. He tries to hide it but Cook spots it. His throat contracts and his face turns to a light grimace. They keep going until Collin is utterly fucked. The thing with Cook is he doesn't make bets unless he's sure he can win or wants to win. He's won this. It's confirmed when Collin lurches forward and is sick everywhere. All over the table and then collapses on top of it. "Ding ding ding! We have our winner! The Cookie Monster! No need for applause! I know! I know!" He takes a light bow and no one claps, doesn't expect them too. The slut and emo are trying to sort Collin out. Katie's stepped outside for a fag so he follows her. Leans next to her on the wall. "So, what crawled up your arse and died?" She sighs. Fuck sake. He's always there. Always. Can't fucking ever leave her alone.

"Fuck off, Cook."

"Why? What the fuck have I done?" Doesn't mean to sound desperate. Does.

"Nothing." A heavy sigh again.

"Then why are you acting like this, you stupid bint! Since when have you had a bloody boyfriend? When did it become okay to just stop talking to me? When the fuck did you become so....fucking different? I don't like this, Katiekins. Not one fucking bit. I can tell, babe. I don't like to show my feelings, either, but it's not good to keep them locked up inside, either. Look what happened to me. Stop acting."

"I'm not acting like anything."

Chuckles. Pitiful. "Keep telling yourself that, Katiekins. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"I said, Fuck off, Cook!"

"I ain't going nowhere, babe, not until you tell me what's wrong!" Grabs her and spins her around. Stops and his eyes widen as she cries out in pain and pushes him back. Backs up against the wall and clutches at her arms.

"Katie, are you alright, dear? I didn't hurt you, did I?" he didn't grab her hard. Not at all. What the fuck!? He approaches slowly. Didn't mean to hurt her, she backs up a bit more and slides down the wall. He follows. "You okay?"

"Yeah, you just grabbed me a little hard, alright?"

"Okay." Doesn't believe her. Holds out another fag to her because hers has rolled off someone in the commotion. He sparks it up and she takes it. Nods her thanks. "So, why are you with that cunt, then?"

"Just am."

"You just are? Thought you were past that, Katiekins. Don't fuck for the sake of fucking. Look what happened to me."

She looks him over and takes a big toke. "Yeah." She's not going to lie to him. He's fucked up.

"So, why then?"

"Why do you care? You didn't give a shit and now you do? Fuck off, Cook. Don't go asking questions when I don't want to give you any fucking answers."

It's kicking off again. So he stops. Mellows. Sighs and touches her shoulder lightly. "I didn' stop caring, Katiekins. Ever." No more words are spoken. They just sit there in silence and smoke. She finishes it and throws it down on the floor. Stands up and sends him a look that says 'I'm going to go back in there and sit with Collin. Get the fuck over it.' He smiles even though he doesn't like it because there's still some fight left in her.

"Katie." He calls and she stops. Doesn't turn back round but stands there expectantly. "I want Katie back."

Turns and smiles sadly at him. He stares at her pointedly and she sighs. Moves back over and bends down. Kisses him gently on the lips and then stands back up. Bites her lip and then goes back inside. Cook has no idea what just happened. At least he got a kiss though. Smiles to himself and sparks up another fag.

*

Reads Naomi's letter the morning after and sighs. Picks up a pen and sits down where Katie was sitting the other night.

_Dear Naomikins, _

_Don't worry, I ain't gonna cause any shit, okay? I'll be a good little boy till you can come back and put me on your leash. Well, I can only hope ;). Blondie, don't worry your pretty little head too much, okay? Red loves you, yeah? She really fucking does. Trust me, I know. Just clean her up and go out with her next time? You're in Mexico so have a good fucking time. Don't sit in and write letters to me. That's boring shit. If you're aiming to be her girlfriend and not her mum stop doing that and go out with her a fuck her senseless in a club toilet. Well, that's what I'd do. Katiekins? She's different. Can't think of any other way to describe her, Blondie. Don't worry. Cookie Monster's working on it! Tell Red I said hi and that if she's hungover the best cure is a morning shag! Don't be angry at her otherwise things will just get worse! Enjoy the muff muncher. I do ;)_

_See you carpet licker_

_Cook_

He finished and picks up the last coaster on the table. Katie's coaster. Flips it round in his hand and stops it on the flip side. Leans forward a bit and focuses his eyes. What. The. Fuck. "Help me, Cook."

**A/N: Hope you liked it! Review please and tell me what you thought! You guys rule! :D More Naomily next chapter. Angry Naomi grrr :P**


	3. Part One: Who are you?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skins! I wish I did though!**

**Chapter three:**

"Morning." Emily groans and pulls the pillow over her head. Please. Just don't, that's what she thinks. Her head hurts so much and she doesn't want to fight. Really doesn't, but unfortunately Naomi does.

"Where the fuck were you, Ems!?" It explodes out of the blonde's mouth and nearly makes Emily jump out of her skin. She groans and grabs her head. Fucking hangovers. She's never drinking again, but she will. Everyone says that and they always do.

"Out."

"Yeah, where? Fuck sake, Emily. I sat up half the night waiting for you!" She hears Naomi's feet stamping away into the tiny kitchen of the hotel room they are currently staying and sighs. Fuck sake. They're actually going to do this, aren't they? Right.

"I didn't ask you to, did I?"

"You didn't have to. I wanted to."

"Well, Naomi, it was your choice then and isn't my fault. I've got a fucking headache, can we do this later?"

"No we fucking can't do this later. We're doing this right now, Emily."

"Why are you so angry? I haven't even done anything wrong!" Frustrated. Not just one of them, both of them.

"Oh, really? And going out all night with a girl that you barely even know and getting pissed out of your head isn't wrong."

"Well...no." Naomi wants to slap her. Really wants to slap her because she just makes her so fucking angry sometimes! Fuck! Heads over to kitchen and starts clattering round the plates for no other reason than just because she fucking can.

"No? No? Grow up, Emily."

"I'm sorry. Since when did you become my mother? I forgot that you controlled what I did or don't do. So what? I went out last night and had a good time? I'm young, Naomi. Stop being so fucking jealous, yeah? I'm not going to run off and fuck the next girl I see. I knew you were protective, but just stop, please?"

"Jealous? I'm not fucking jealous!" She is. Really is. She hates the feeling as well, it's eating away at her. She has images in her head. Of Effy and Emily, kissing, hugging, fucking and it's driving her insane. She's bitten away most of her nails because of worrying. She knows she's being stupid. Knows that Emily wouldn't do that to her because of the strawberries and she loves her and Emily isn't that sort of person, but it's filling her up. Like a cup. It's all coming to the surface and pouring out and all she can do is flood because she's not used to this feeling and she's not good in relationships. This is why she tried not to do relationships because of things like this. Well, fuck you, Emily Fitch! Fuck you!

"Oh, yeah? So why do you hate Effy then?" Emily moves forward. She's getting close and Naomi hates it because her smell is enough to make her go weak at the knees.

"Because...because...she's just a bitch."

"Why?"

"She just is."

"Why?"

"Stop saying why?"

"Why?"

"Oh, fuck off, Emily!" She spins round and spits it at the redhead. Emily raises an eyebrow and Naomi glares. A face off. They just stand there.

"You're pathetic sometimes, you know that?"

"Yeah, and I hate you sometimes." She doesn't know who pushes forward first but Naomi's launched back against the counter behind her and moans into the redhead's mouth. Fuck. Emily bites down hard on her lip and Naomi's eyes roll upward. She's going to have the power here, not Emily. Grabs the redhead's hips and grips hard, spins her round and pushes her up against the counter. Lifts her up and places her on the side. Kisses her hard, so hard that her lips feel like they are going to be bruised right after. Deepens the kiss. It's fierce and all teeth and all tongue. Nothing sweet about it and they both fucking love it. It's frantic, is what it is. Emily claws at Naomi's back as she places sloppy kisses down the redhead's neck, drags her tongue up it. "Mine." She whispers against the skin and Emily moans out louder. "Fuck you, Emily."

"Shut up." Pulls the blonde's mouth to hers and kisses her hard again. Her shirt has been ripped down over her shoulders and Naomi's fingers are working swiftly on her bra. The material falls away and Naomi's mouth finds her nipples. Gasps and arches her back into it; Naomi bites it. She hisses out and grabs at the blonde's hair. Possessive. God, Naomi is so fucking possessive. It feels like she's branding her. Wants her to. Fuck. Groans out again when Naomi drops to her knees and pulls her skirt up. Grabs the blonde's hair again and twists hard when she feels that tongue. Fuck you, Naomi, fuck you and your tongue! Urgh!

They fuck again. This time in the bedroom and afterwards they lay together spent. Naomi's smoking a fag and lounging back against the head board. Emily can't help but smile back at the blonde and think she looks a little like Marylyn Monroe in this position. With the fag and everything. "What?" Naomi asks. It's not defensive. It's more blissful than anything.

"I love you."

Naomi smiles. "I love you, too, babe." She's not into the soppy shit, but she can't help but open her arms and let Emily crawl into them. Emily groans a little when she lays back down and Naomi looks at her worried. "You okay?"

"A little sore is all. Remind me never to get you angry again, okay?" Laughs a little and Naomi chuckles along. "No more sex today."

"But..." She sounds like a child that's just been rejected by it's mother for getting a new toy, but it's sex...and it's Emily....and she fucking loves it.

"No, Naomi! I'm too sore! Get yourself off if you get horny!"

"Get myself off?" It's said like it's the most stupid thing in the world. Naomi's gotten herself off...okay, maybe there was that one time were she was confused about what she felt for Emily but she was just so fucking horny that day and it was in the past and never again! "What else am I going out for you for?"

Emily sits back shocked. "Did you really just say that?"

"What you are the best muff muncher on the west side of Bristol."

"West side?" Emily does a weird sign with her hand. "Innit, bruv." Naomi tries to keep a straight face but Emily's in the funniest position. Laughs. Laughs hard and it feels good. She doesn't feel jealous right now. Doesn't feel anything expect Emily, next to her. Naked. Pulls the redhead to her, back facing her and kisses her neck again. "Naomi, I said no." The blonde's lips wrap around her ear lobe and suck gently. Groans and tries to resist. Can't.

"Please, Ems. I need you."

"Fuck, Naomi." Hisses. They fuck again.

*

_Dear James,_

_Well, I did what you said. Well, sort of. I had a go at Emily and I know you told me not to but I'm stubborn, alright? Whenever my mind sets to doing something I do it. Get the fuck over it. It was the worst argument we've had so far in our relationship, it was bad, but after we had the best make up sex ever. Lots of sex...and I should probably scribble that out so you don't get a boner but I can't be fucked. I'm knackered and you know why. Christ, I'm turning into you, aren't I? What's happening over there now? You're not telling me much and that means something big is happening. If anything happens James. Just call me, yeah? I'm having a good time now and so should you. Jealousy is shit. Thanks for the advice, James. I owe you one. Well, kinda._

_Naomikins_

_Xxx_

Typical Blondie. Never listens to the Cookie Monster when she should. Well, she's right. She is fucking stubborn. What's happening over here? Katie. Help her? How. He doesn't even know what the fuck is going on. Well, he's going to find out tonight though. She texted him. Well, off someone else's phone presumably because the message said 'Meet me at the garage just outside of Bristol. Out back. Katie xx' and it wasn't her number. He's going to go. Of course he is, it's Katiekins, for Christ sake! So he talks to Keith and manages to get off work earlier.

"What for, Cookie? I'm short on staff tonight and all the punters come in for Keith's quiz night!"

"It's important, Keith, it is otherwise I wouldn't ask."

"I know you wouldn't Cookie. Fine, but you're working the double tomorrow!"

"Cheers, Keith, man!" He calls as he heads out the door. Train costs him a fiver. That's the last of his money for the night so he'll have to walk back. Fuck sake. Katie better bloody be worth it. He sits on the train and watches the flashing lights go by. Hurts his eyes a little but he gets used to it. Some cunt watches him from the other side of the carriage. Like he's going to start something because of the way he looks. He's some posh git with a comb over, suit and a briefcase laid on his lap. He stares at him for a long time before Cook finally looks back. Waggles his eyebrows at him and his tongue, the man scoffs and looks away from Cook embarrassed. That will teach him. Nosey bastard. Itches his bollocks and clucks his tongue. Fucking trains taking too long. When he finally gets to the place it's pitch black. He staggers over in the dark and squints around. "Katiekins? Where are you, babe?" Nothing. Fuck sake. If she's left him hanging. "Katiekins?" He calls out again and waits nothing. Three car lights come on around him. Emo kid in one, Collin in another and slut in the final one. You've got to be fucking kidding.

"Hello, Cook. Knew you'd fall for this little trap." Collin calls as he opens the door and steps out into the light.

"Well, if this isn't the most thought out plan I've ever fucking seen. So, what do you boys and slags," looks at the greasy haired blonde and winks. "want then? Got something to say to me that you couldn't say in front of Kaite?"

"Yeah, I've got something to say to you alright, James."

"Stop calling me James!"

"Aww, does it annoy you?"

"No, it just makes you sound like a twat."

"Oh, you're looking out for me, then?"

Cook's face scrunches in confusion. "I'm sorry, but serisouly, who the fuck are you, mate? The way you're chatting to me is like we're long time enemies but I know for a fact that I've only met one cunt in my life as weedy as you and he is standing in front of me. Why don't you just tell me what you fucking want, you pussy! Stop playing games!"

"I want you out of Katie's life."

Cook laughs and wipes his finger across his jaw. This kid is a fucking idiot. Retarded. Speical ed and all that shit. Class A Twat. "I wasn't in Katie's life until you came up to the bar the other day, dickhead and started on me. I didn't start this shit you did. You're a small fish in a big pond. I ain't the fucking shark, mate, so back the fuck off!"

"Awww, want me to back off, James....scared of me, are you?"

"Oi, you hearing this Emo? I swear he's just hearin' what he wants to hear now, ain't he? I never said that. Get to fuck you, little prick before I kick seven shades of shit out ya!" Points to the cars. Looks at the other two who have remained silent till now.

"You heard him. Stay away from Katie." The emo kid states and Cook throws his hands up in the air.

"HA HA! Finally! He has a voice, does he? And what's your name? Count chocula? You can piss off as well and you blondie! Get your arses back in your cars and get the fuck out of here!"

"We're not going to do that, James. We came here to send a message and..."

"Wait! Let me stop you there. You've come here to kick the shit out of me to make sure I stay away from Katie? Well, if you "know me" then you know two little pricks like yourself are in for the fight of your life if you think you can have me."

"That's why I brought this." Collin moves back over to his car and pulls out a baseball bat from the driver's seat. Fuck. Cook hates weapons. They're for fucking pussies....but they hurt like fuck. He ain't a pussy, but even he can't take a baseball bat to the head. Who the fuck is this kid? Seriously? What the fuck is his problem? He's known him for like three days! He's got to be fucked in the head or something shit because this is getting crazy.

"Not so brave now, are you, Cookie?"

"Nah, man, don't be playing with the toys for the big boys." That's it. Fake it. Confident. Don't let your guard down otherwise you're getting picked up in an ambulance tonight.

"You're brave, James. I'll give you that, but bravery and stupidity are divided by a very thin line. Katie was brave...at first. Started doing what I told her to after I slapped her about a bit," Cook's hands clench hard. Fucking bastard. He'll kill him! He'll fucking kill him! "Did you know she's a crier? Booed her fucking eyes out the first time, but she stopped in the end. Just took it like the good little bitch she is! Doesn't that make you angry, Cook? That she just takes it. She wanted you to 'help her, Cook'. Knew you'd fall for that little trick. Got you here, didn't it? So easy to trick. Well, tonight 'Cookie Monster' I'm going to kick the shit out of you and then go back home kick the shit out of my girlfriend and there ain't a fucking thing you can do about it." His jaw clenches hard. He hits her. He fucking hits Katiekins. His Katekins! His bloods fucking boiling. This little fuck is going to die!

Collin swings the bat but Cook ducks underneath it and swings his fist into Collins jaw. Knocks the kid on his back and repeatedly smashes him in the face. "You little fuck! You little cunt! I'll fucking kill you! You ever touch her again and I'll rip your little shitty ball off! YOU EVER TOUCH HER AGAIN AND I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Pulls Collin up by the scruffs of his shirt and brings his head down hard against the boys nose. Hears it crack. "How the fuck do you like that? Not nice, is it? When they fight back!"

Emo grabs him from behind. Throws him on the floor and kicks him in the side. Grunts. Shit, that fucking canes. Pushes himself up and swings at the kid. His hand gets grabbed in the air. Tries a right and it gets grabbed again. Nuts the kid. Wasn't expecting that, was he? He goes down like a bag of shit and Cook heads back for Collin. He's never wanted to kill someone as much as he wants to right now. He's not old Cook, he's not new Cook. He's James and James wants to kill this cunt for even thinking of touching Katie!

Unfortunately, James is just one man and there are two of them. Collin hits him with the baseball bat and he drops. Just drops back the pain snaps across the top of his back and he hits his knees hard. Collin swings the bat down into his stomach and winds him. Cook tries to fight, does, but Emo grabs him from behind and restrains his arms. Collins punches him once. "I'm the king around here, understand?" Punches Cook again. His head. Fuck. It canes. Can't do anything though. Fucking helpless. "Katie's mine, understand?" Punches him again. "You don't come back to Bristol. You leave now or next time, I'll fucking skin you, understand?"

Cook laughs. He fucking laughs. Spits blood into the kids face and then kicks him in the balls. Mumbles something along the lines off 'Go fuck yourself' and laughs hard whenever the Emo kid throws him to the ground and kicks him in the back. Cries out and howls at the end of it.

"Think he's learned his lesson." Collin states.

"Your nose, okay?" Emo asks.

"Yeah, just broken. Lucky punch it was. I was all over him." Cook laughs on the ground. It's that disbelieving laugh. All over him? The fuck he was! This kid is mental! Absolutely bonkers because Cook kicked the living fuck out of him first!

"Yeah, you owned him!" They're all crazy! All fucking mental! The slut just nods and gets back into her car. His hands grip the grass hard and he pulls himself to his feet. Spins round. The cars are stilling sitting there, watching. He gives them all the finger and then explodes. "GET TO FUCK!! HAHA!" They reserve. He grabs the baseball bat abandoned on the floor and heads for Collins car.

"Be careful, Cook. Otherwise you'll get burned and Katie will be there with you!" He hears called. He smirks and sprints. Hard. It's all adrenaline now. Smashes in Collins front window and his him cry out from the inside. The car is reversed hard and accelerates away. "Who are you? WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!?"

*

"Mmmm five more mins, Ems." Naomi groans and pulls the redhead's body back to hers.

"We've got to get up, Naoms. We're meeting Effy tonight." Emily replies and steps out of the bed. Naomi watches her naked form move to the bathroom and hears the sound of the shower turning on. The water hisses and patters against the metal on the bathroom floor. Urgh, Effy. She'd forgotten about her for the past couple of hours. Lays back and runs her hands through her hair. Fuck sake. Jealousy again. Hello old friend.

"Do we have to? I'm too tired to do anything tonight" She calls.

Emily pops her head out of the bathroom; she's got her toothbrush in her mouth and her hair tied up. "Yes, Naomi, we have to because I planned this with her last night. It'd be rude not to go!" Disappeared back into the bathroom.

Naomi rolls her eyes. "It'd be rude not to stay in and fuck me again, Emily!" She calls back and hears Emily choke a little on the toothbrush in her mouth. Smiles because here is some kind of irony in there but doesn't want to mention this to Emily.

"I've fucked you all afternoon. Can we please just go out without arguing again?"

"But..."

"Naomi," She moves over and sits down on the side of the bed next to the blonde. Grabs her hand and kisses it. "I love you, babe. I love you. I'm not sure you realise that, but it's a pretty big deal, yeah? I'm not just going to jump into bed with some randomer when I have you. You're just being stupid. I love you, Naoms. Too fucking much." Kisses the blonde lightly and then leans back with a smile.

Naomi nods. Tightens her lips and nods at the redhead. God, she's so fucking stupid sometimes. Emily fucking loves her. Loves her. This isn't a quick thing, they've been together for a long time and are fucking travelling together for Christ sake. She is just being stupid. She doesn't usually get teary eyed but Emily gets her. Completely.

"I love you, too, you know?"

Emily nods. "I know."

"Don't forget it."

"I won't." They hug, don't kiss. Just hug and it's nice because sometimes it doesn't always have to be about sex. Sometimes it's just about them being together and Naomi likes that. Pulls the girl back onto the bed and they just lay there for a bit.

"It's nearly over, isn't it?"

"What the trip?"

"Yeah, the trip. Soon we'll be back in Bristol and it'll all be shit again, won't it? Just like before." She doesn't want that.

"No, we've got each other, Naomis. Oh! And Cook! And your mum! One big ol' happy family living in a little yellow house in Bristol. Sounds like to perfection to me! Nearly as good as crumpets!"

"You and your fetish for crumpets!" Naomi says with a laugh and Emily kisses her cheek.

"They are amazing."

"You're amazing."

"You're a soppy git sometimes, Campbell."

"I know. You've turned me into a monster!"

"Well, guess that makes me Dr. Frankenstein!" Emily exclaims and sits up.

"Em..."

"Yeah?"

"Is it weird that I want to fuck you even though you're my creator?"

"Naoms, it's not real!" Emily laughs and pushes Naomi shoulder. Naomi rolls her eyes and smiles.

"I know! I'm just saying that if you were my creator that would be a bit weird."

"Why are we even talking about this?" Emily shakes her head with a laugh. Strange conversations that have sometimes. Fucking strange.

"You're the one who started it with your crumpet it fetish!" Naomi replies.

"But they are amazing! With Jam and butter!"

"Let's not go round in circles!" Emily sticks her tongue out and Naomi catches it between her fingers. Tugs on it gently and Emily moves forward and kisses her on cue. They laugh as Emily pushes the blonde down on the bed again. They kiss for a bit. It's nice. Emily stops it though.

"Shit, Nai, we're using all the hot water!"

Naomi's eyes widen. Fuck! Then they narrow. "Guess we'll just have to share now to conserve water and everything."

Emily's eyes narrow back. "Yeah, converse..." Doesn't take Naomi long to be pinned up against the shower wall with a very eager Emily kisses her. Emily goes down on her in the shower and she groans. This. This is why she'll go out with Effy tonight. For Emily. Because of what Emily is to her.

*

Takes him a while but he finally gets back into Bristol. Walks and it doesn't take as long as he'd thought. Maybe because he's still got some adrenaline in his system. Can't believe that Katie didn't leave him that coaster. Fucking idiot, what kind of twat falls for that? Him, clearly. Fuck sake. That little fuck Collin. Fucked him over good and proper he has. He'll get him, though. Heads for Keith. A couple blocks from Keith's he smells smoke. His nose twitches a little, reminds him that he needs a fag. Looks around him before pulling out one and sparking it out. Helps with the pain and little and believe it, he's aching all over! Fuck! Groans as he drags himself round the corner.

His mouth opens slightly, dropping the fag to the floor and his legs move of his own accord. Pumping against the ground. The blaze. He can feel it from twenty feet away from Keith's place. It's on fire. The whole pub is on fucking fire! He sees the fire engines and runs for the door. Passed the firefighter's trying to put out the flames and slams against the pubs door. Punches it, kicks it and pulls at it! "Keith! Keith! Keith!" Someone grabs him from behind.

"Get him away from there!" Deep voice. Fire fighter.

"Get the fuck off me! Get off me, you cunt! Keith! Keith! KEITH!" It rings out in the darkness, well, the darkness that isn't consumed by flames. He pulls at the man restraining and tries to get free. His chest tightening. Arms aching. He can't lose Keith. He just fucking can't. He's family, the only bit he's got left. Freddie first and now this? Not again. Not fucking again! His eyes well up. He doesn't know if it's from the flames or if he's actually crying, but he breaks down in the fire fighters arms and cries his fucking eyes out.

**A/N: Collins a psycho. That's all :D Read and review please :D You guys are the best :D A dinner of sort with Effy/Emily/Naomi next chapter :D**


	4. Part Two: Mothers

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skins! I wish I did though!**

**A/N: Sorry it's been a while! Life is hectic, no? **

**Chapter Four:**

That's the fifth. The fifth fags he's had since he's been standing here. The walls hard. Solid brick that pushes back against him just as hard as he pushes his weight onto it. Throws the end of the fifth to the floor and sparks up the sixth. Tokes, fast and hard and then he's onto his seventh. Chain smoking isn't good. He knows that but right now he doesn't give a shit. An eighth is soon sparked up and he exhales heavily as he finished that and leans back against the wall, head presses against the brick and smirks to himself. Fucking Gina Campbell.

*

"_Hey, Kid, you okay?" The fire fighter clicks his fingers in front of his face. "Hey!" Cook doesn't do anything, just stares out in front of him at the burnt down pub in front of him. The fire fighter sighs and slowly bends down, placing the cup of tea on the ground in front of him. He doesn't register it. Just carries on staring down at the burnt pub. He drinks it two hours later after everyone's gone and he's still sitting there alone, it tastes bitter, but he doesn't mind it because he feels like that. Cold and bitter._

_*_

"_Are you going to sit out here all day or are you coming back for a cuppa?" Her voice is sympathetic and he hates her for it. He doesn't want her sympathy because he doesn't need it. She places her hand on his shoulder and he pushes it off, drops the empty cup of tea down onto the floor and listen to the clink. Hears her sigh. "Come on, James. There's nothing you can do out here, luv." He doesn't move so she gives up and heads back to her house, she'll come back tomorrow and try again. _

_He doesn't move the next day either and Gina is starting to worry because he hasn't washed in days and hasn't spoken a word. She brings him a tea again and sits with him while he drinks it, tries to get him to talk but he just listens to her, so she talks. About everything and nothing. She starts to talk about a time he had to drag a pissed out of her head Naomi back into the house and she ended up flat on her face outside Gina's door, he smirks at that and she's happy with that. He's being responsive. Keith's dead, they told her last night on the phone. Caught in the fire, Cook doesn't know officially, but he does know, she can tell. She reaches out and grabs his hand, he doesn't stop her, and squeezes it gently. "You could always come back to ours, James?" He doesn't respond and she waits for a bit before giving up for the day and heading back home. _

"_Bloody fucking Labour bastards! Ruining our bloody country again!" She mutters to herself and lifts the boiling kettle of the stove, pouring the water into a cup and mixing it with tea. Takes her normal place at the table and sips at it as she continues to flick through the paper. It's raining out, heavy and Gina bites her lip because James is sitting out there in that. Can't focus on anything so in the end she just stares at the clock, watching slowly as the little hand moves slowly after edge minute. A knock at the door, she takes one last sip of her tea before placing the cup down on the table and heading for the door, opening it. James. "You looking for a place to kip, then, James?" She asks, door being held wide open._

_The boys shivering, holding his arms at his side with his teeth chattering. Rain is slowly trailing down his face and he is squinting up at her. "P-piss off." He mutters and she laughs. Typical James. She kicks the door open and walks back inside. He grumbles and follows her inside anyway, hears him through his coat on the floor and drag himself upstairs. Hears Naomi's door bedroom door shut and she smiles. At least he's speaking now._

_*_

_She pours herself a cup of tea the next morning and licks the jam off her finger from spreading it over the toast. Places the plate down on the green cloth covered table and sits down on the wooden chair tucked under it; it's battered and creaks when she shifts in it, but it has that familiarity so she can't seem to part with it. She never did like to throw stuff away, waste! Hears the stairs thud lightly as James makes his way down to the kitchen, kicks open the door and steps in rubbing his eyes hard and squinting. "Fuckin' hell, Gina, what's the time?" Yawns as he drops down onto the seat in front of him and splays out, itches his balls (to which Gina rolls her eyes) and looks around. "What's for breakfast then?"_

"_Whatever you make yourself."_

_He rolls his eyes. "Oh, come on, Gina, can't you wipe up some of those eggs you know I love more than anyone else's? Fucking mint, they are! Cor, Naomi's a lucky girl that she gets them everyday. Lucky bint." _

"_She makes her own eggs, like a big girl, so be a big boy, James, and go make them yourself." He mutters a 'Fuck sake' and she rolls her eyes again, flicks through the paper. She listens to the sound of him clattering around her kitchen, laughs when he opens a cupboard, moves around to get something else and then walks back into the open cupboard with a bang and grabs his head in pain. Breathes in harshly and grips the top of his head. "Ooooh! Fuck!" _

"_Watch where you're going." She doesn't look up at him and sees him giving her the finger in the reflection of the mirror in front of her. Doesn't say anything, he makes her laugh. Watches him in the mirror, pretends to read, he puts a frying pan on the cooker, pours oil onto it, cracks two eggs into the pan and turns the heat up. "You're quiet domesticated, James." She states in five minutes time when he sits down with two eggs on a plate. _

_He smiles cheekily and playfully at her. "Fuck you." She smiles back and they go back to that. He eats fast and she reads the paper. They just sit there afterwards and say nothing. Nothing is good._

_*_

"_That's not how you do that, you know." He throws a dart at the board in Naomi's room and hits an eighteen. Smirks to himself as Gina leans against the doorframe. _

"_Oh, really? Forgot that you were a veteran dart player, G." He's taken to calling her G now and she doesn't mind it much, prefers Gina obviously but no one can get Cook to do what he doesn't want to do. She walks a bit further into the room and holds out her hand expectantly. _

"_Fiver says I can beat you." _

_Cook shakes his head and laughs. "Your call, G. Just like your daughter you're gonna end up a fiver in debt to the Cookie Monster, though," Hands her the darts and scoots back against the far wall. "Just so you know, the bank of Cook doesn't take IOU's."_

"_We'll see about that, James." Ready's herself at the starting point and moves her hand into the right position. Throws. Triple Twenty. Pointedly looks at him and he rolls his eyes and throws his hand out towards her. _

"_Beginners luck!" He cat calls._

"_Okay, James. So, Naomi and you make bets a lot, then?" She asks as she hits another triple twenty and then another. Cook doesn't look phased, just walks over and holds out his hands to take the darts. "Get them yourself, James. Don't be lazy." He rolls his eyes, but does it anyway._

"_I can see where Naomi gets her lovely personality from. Nice on the outside at first, but then it changes to the Campbell complex. Determined to better me, are you, G? I'm just as stubborn as blondie, just so you know, and, yeah, your daughter and me have a few bets now and then, in fact, it's the reason we became such good mates, bet's can be good, see?" He hits a triple twenty each time as well and bows graciously at the end._

"_Very nice, still wrong though, James. And the Campbell complex? What's that?"_

"_Well, see, you and blondie seem to have this idea in your head that you're superior to the Cookie Monster."_

"_Right," Gina nods and throws the dart again. Triple twenty. It was going to be a tough game. "Well, that's because we are, James, dear. Women are superior to men because most of you are fascist arseholes, some of us have a soft spot for those arseholes, though, Naomi and I are two of those one's unfortunately."_

"_Well, us arsehole's are pleased to have ya!" She smiles at him and he smirks back. They play for another twenty minutes before it comes down to the last dart. Gina's advantage. "So, how is my lovely daughter, still being a bit of an idiot?"_

"_As always, she writes sometimes, a letter every couple of days or so. 'Tis nice of her, paying for the express mail an all, but something's going on with her and Red, I think. Some brunette bint eyeing up Ems or something and blondie's getting a bit protective and jealous, you got that in common as well?" _

"_All women get jealous, James, and so do men, we're not from another planet, you know?" They've stopped now. Talking more than playing, the last dart in her hand._

"_Could've fooled me, G, most of you are mental, man." Watches his face twist a little and looks over the bruises marking his face. She's wanted to ask, but it's not time yet. Any good mother knows when the time to ask a child what's wrong and it's not time yet, nearly, but not yet._

"_So, what girl hurt you, then? Naomi said something about you and Emily's sister once, I think. I should probably remember her name if we're all going to become a member of the Fitch family at the end of this all." She's not deluding herself. She's seen the way Naomi and Emily act together. If they aren't married in five years time then she'll be shocked. _

"_Hurt me? Pfft. Impenetrable is what the Cookie is, G. He's all about one night stay and then send the girl's on their way, you know?" Unfortunately, she did. Not in that context, but she knew all about one night stands, they were what tossers did and there was no denying that James was most definitely one of them, but he was a nice one, if you could call it that. He's not impenetrable, either, he may act like it, but she knows it's all an act. Fundamentally he's the same as Naomi, the both like to pretend, but in the end, they just stop._

"_If I win, James, you're going to do whatever I ask you to, okay?" He nods and winks at her. _

"_Of course, G, Cookie always keeps his words, but if I win, I get that fiver, yeah?" She nods this time and he claps his hands together._

"_Let's get on with it, then! No time like the present and all that shit!" She throws the dart and hears him mutter 'for fuck sake!' as she hits the seven that she needs. _

"_I win." The one thing she'll give him is that he's not a sore loser, very gracious in fact. He walks over and holds out his hand to her. _

"_Well played, G." Shakes his hand, tries not to laugh. He is a weird one._

"_Could've done with that fiver, though." She gives it to him later, pulls out a crumpled up note when they're eating dinner and hands it to him. He nods graciously and winks at her. That's his way of saying thanks and she's used to it. That's later, though. _

"_Couldn't we all?" He rolls his eyes and moves over to the dart board, pulls out the darts._

"_So, then, G, what do you want me to do? Clean the house or somethin'?" _

"_I'll let you know." She walks back down the stairs. Hears him mutter 'bitch' but she'll let that one go._

_*_

_They spend the next week together and it's nice. She's always wondered what it would be like to have a son and he's the worst kind and in her opinion that's the best kind. She takes him to tesco's next time she goes and he happily picks out everything that she lists out to him. He even flies around on the back of the trolley a little. They get pissed on cheap tesco's wine later and James voices his distaste for such poor quality booze and how he used to buy top notch shit before he got kicked out of his dorm. They chat about everything, Naomi's dad and everything else that involves the Campbell women; they don't talk about Cook though. It's not time. _

_*_

_He helps her wash the dishes one night. He's a good dryer and it's nice to have help because when you live with the most unhelpful daughter in the world, when someone helps once in a while it's a pleasant surprise. "You're quite good when you want to be, aren't you, James?" _

"_That's what I've been told." He puts another plate down on the rack and grabs the next one that Gina hands to him._

"_And who told you that?" She gives him the famous quirked eyebrow and he laughs at the reminder of Naomi_

"_Well, you and blondie, plus all the other women that have procured my services, of course." Waggles his eyebrows at her and this time she's the one to roll her eyes at him. Laughs a little as well._

"_You're ridiculous sometimes, you know that?" She tells him and he shrugs._

"_Better to be over confident then a shy little cry baby."_

"_Even confident people cry, James."_

"_Yeah, but then it has so much more impact, don't it? If some little cry baby is pissing his pants all the time because of some little iddy problem then people don't care, yeah? But if the hard as nails, son of a bitch that gets all the pussy he can finally cracks then it's like 'holy fuck', you get me?"_

"_True." He's right, but she doesn't want his ego to get any bigger so she leaves it at that. "I don't know how women stand you, especially Naomi, she's so uptight sometimes. Gets that from her mum, I suppose..." Self doubt, even mothers have it._

"_Nah, don't be talking about yourself like that, Gina, babe, you're a star." She smiles warmly at him. She gets it now._

"_Charmer, when you want to be, aren't you, James?"_

"_We all have banes to bare."_

"_And sometimes you're just way out of your depth." She replies. She can give him just as much back as he can give her. He raises an eyebrow._

"_Is that a challenge, G?"_

"_You couldn't handle me, James." He throws the dish cloth down onto the side and looks up at the ceiling. Clucks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. _

"_Fuck it." Leans in a kisses her. She's shocked, but kisses back. It's not sexual. It's just lips and it's slow and it's comfort. He pushes her back against the side and grips her face. She pulls away and slaps him hard. _

"_Fair enough," he laughs. "Still think I couldn't handle you, G?"_

"_If I was twenty years younger."_

"_You'd still fuck me right now?" _

"_You wish, James."_

"_Well, right now, yeah. Come on, G. Blondie wouldn't do it so the least you could do is be a responsible mother and bone me instead? I gotta get some Campbell action." He smirks and she slaps him again and pushes him back._

"_Not this Campbell. Now, you want to dry this for me?" Holds out a freshly wet plate. He takes it from her with a wink and dries it. Well, at least she's still got it._

"_You're like Naomi sometimes, you know?"_

"_I know."_

_*_

_It's time. "What you want, G?" He calls from inside the bathroom, he's just showered and wiping himself down with a towel, she can hear it. _

"_I want to use that one thing you owe me from the darts."_

"_And what would that be?" He pops his head out of the door, running a towel through his wet hair and looking at her questioningly. _

"_A cup of tea and a chat." He looks at her confused for a second before nodding and then closing the door again. She goes downstairs and waits for him_

_*_

_He drags the wooden chair across the floor and throws himself down in it. She's already made the tea and has set a large glass down in front of him filled with tea. "What the fuck is this?" He asks points at the glass and she shrugs._

"_Only thing I could find. When you've finished that, you can leave." He nods and tries to pick it up, puts it back down and shakes his hand. She guesses it's hot. That was the plan there is no way he's drinking that any time soon. He's a man of his word, that's how she'll start off because she may be a bit older than him, but she knows how he works. Knows how arseholes work. _

"_Fine, G! What do you wanna chat about, then? Weather, current affairs and all that bollocks? Just don't get all political on me now, dear, otherwise I'll fall asleep right now."_

"_I don't want to talk about any of that, James, I want to talk about you."_

"_Me? What about?"_

"_What happened?" Motioned to the bruises that were just starting to fade that donned his face._

"_Ah, nothing to worry about, G, just some pussy cunts jumped me tis all. Wouldn't do it on their own, though, Forget about it."She nods, doesn't talk to him about that anymore and moves onto the next thing._

"_Keith's dead."_

"_I know." He looks away and takes a large sip out of the glass in front of him. Burns his mouth. "Argh! Fuck sake!" he mutters._

"_Take your time, luv." She smiles warmly at him. "Now, when's his funeral?"_

_He looks away and his face hardens. "In two days, down the local cemetery."_

"_Are you going to go?"_

"_No."_

"_Why not?"_

_He sniffs a little and rubs at his nose. "Can't."_

"_Why not?"_

"_I just fucking can't, alright, Gina!? Fuck sake. You ain't my mum, alright? Back the fuck off." She recoils a bit, she expected it but he's nasty when he wants to be, plus Naomi isn't exactly 'nice'._

"_I know I'm not your mum, James, but I care about you, okay? Look, Naomi told me, okay?" He opens his mouth to speak but she raises her hand and he stops. "She was just worried, James. She cares about you, just like I do. We care about you here. I know your dad was a prick and your mum was a bit of a bitch and that sucks and I don't wish that on anyone, but you've got to let it go, James, otherwise you'll be like this your whole life. It's okay to feel sometimes. It's okay to open up. I'm not going to hurt you. Naomi's not going to hurt you. Some people may have done that in the past but the people that love you won't. The people that love you are your family. Naomi and I are you family James. You're always welcome here. You know that?" He nods slowly, his eyes are welled a little and his clenching his jaw hard. "Come here, you soppy little bastard." Holds open her arms and Cook uncharacteristically pulls her into a hug, he squeezes tightly. Wishes that Gina was really his mum, sometimes. She's so fucking lovely. When he pulls back she kisses him on the forehead and smiles at him. "Whoever fucked you up, whatever and whenever. It's in the past, okay? Your dad is a prick. Don't worry, so is Naomi's. I know. Trust me. I can be a bit of a bitch sometimes, but I still love you. Now, whoever jumped you? Go and 'kick the fuck out of them' back. I may be a bit of a hippy but I know if someone punches you, then you punch them back just as hard." He breaks out into a smile. "And Katie? If she fucks it up with you that's her own fault. If she's worth it? Fight for her. If she isn't? Forget about her. And for fuck sake, James, go to your uncle's funeral." He nods. That's all the thanks she needs._

"_You're the only woman to ever get me, Gina. You know that?"_

"_Glad to help, James." He smiles. Likes it when she calls him James. Flashes her that cheeky smile and nods. He knows what to do._

_*_

_Dear Naomikins, _

_I got the shit kicked out of me by that Collin kid. Should've listened to you blondie so I hope you bloody well listened to me! Don't worry, though, your mum sorted it. Bloody saint she is! Love her to pieces Naomikins! Hope you and Red are alright now? Did you listen to the Cookie Monster and try and keep your head? Probably not. Well, I hope the make-up sex was worth it. Come back soon, Blondie, I need my best friend back. Keith...he died Naomi. In a fire last week. It's shit and it hurts and I fucking hate it, yeah? So get that little arse of yours back here as soon as you can and be best friend like, alright? Until then I'm staying at yours and seeing JJ. _

_See you soon Dyke_

_Cook_

_Xxx_

_P.s I almost boned ya mum. _

"Ems, we're going home!" Naomi calls straight away. Drops the letter on the desk and starts packing her bag.

"What?" Emily asks stepping out of the bedroom, finishing putting an ear ring in. "What was that, Nai? I didn't catch that."

"We have to go home." She doesn't look at Emily, just keeps packing. Keith. Fuck. Shit. Cook. Her mum? Wait, what the fuck? He almost boned her mum? Oh, for fuck sake. Doesn't even want to think about that. Keith, in a fire? Shit. Fuck sake. She has to go back now. He said soon but she needs to be there now. Emily will have to understand.

"Why? What's happened?" Emily's voice becomes panicked.

"Cook's uncle died."

"Okay." Naomi smiles.

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." Emily smiles back happily and then moves over to help Naomi pack.

"I love you."

"I know," Emily scratches her head and looks around. "Nai?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you seen the strap-on? I think we've lost it..." Oh, please, god. Don't let them have lost it. She goes red at the thought of it and Emily pats her on the shoulder.

"It's not the time for dirty thoughts, Naoms, now where did we use it last?" She places her hand under her chin so innocently and focuses her eyes on something. "Hmmmm, yes, yes, of course." Marches off into another room. Naomi stares after her gobsmacked. That girl was weird sometimes, as much as she loved her she was proper weird.

She stops packing for just a second and picks Cook's letter back up. Runs her fingertip's over the tear stars that mare the paper and bites her lip. James, fuck. Keith. Her eyes well a little. She never really knew him but he'd always been nice to her. Always cared and made her feel welcome. The second person to do that after Cook, well, sort of. Raises her eyes up and sighs. "Nai?" It's quiet and tentative. "You okay, baby?"

Holds open her arms and nods, Emily moves into them and pulls her girlfriend into a gentle hug. "He needs us, Em. We're his best friends."

"I know, Nai. I know." Kisses Naomi gently and rocks against her. They stay like that. Just for the night, leave in the morning, but for now, now it's exactly what both of them need. "You care too much, you know? You may act like a twat, but you're a caring twat."

"I know." Smiles weakly at the redhead. Loves her.

*

"What time's our flight?" She asks as she takes a toke on the fag, sitting on her suitcase outside the airport.

"1:15," Emily stops for a second and looks around. "We didn't really get to see Mexico, did we?"

"Not really. Maybe we'll come back sometime?"

"Definitely." Emily smiles at her. The moment is broken when her phone vibrates and she picks it up with an 'hola!'. She talks for several minutes before she hangs up.

Naomi takes a toke and looks up at her girlfriend. "What was that about?"

"Effs changed her flight, she's coming back to Bristol with us!" Emily says happily. Naomi smiles, it's a fake one, of course. She'd forgotten. Turns out that Effy's visiting family in Bristol this holiday. Same part of Bristol as the pair of them. What are the fucking chances?

"Yay." She couldn't sound more sarcastic even if she tried.

*

He laughs to himself. He's not doing exactly what Gina told him, but the concepts the same. He grips the handle of the baseball bat hard and swaggers toward his destination. Collin's car, his pride and joy. He can tell that by the way that he keeps it. Nice and proper, it is. Well, not for fucking long! He smashes the front window in first. Then all the individual windows, brake lights, back window and hammers the bonnet a couple of time as well. Takes out his key and drags it along the side. 'Come and get some!' he spells out and smirks. Fucking have that you cunt! Texts Katie 'Meet me.'

She does reply. 'Okay xx'

Hope.

**A/N: Sorry for being so long with this. This chapter is mainly about Gina and dedicated to my friend Miss Peg :D For her love of Gina! Right, now things are going to start to kick off. Here's a hint. Next chapter? Some Naomi and Collin? :O I'll leave you to imagine that! Hope you liked it! Naomily focus next time :D well...naomi/Emily/effy :P**


	5. Jeggers

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skins! I wish I did though!**

**Chapter 5:**

Naomi bites her lip as the taxi pulls up to her house, her yellow house that stands out from the rest of the houses on the street and lets the whole neighbourhood think they're a bunch of hippies. They're not, Gina is, but Naomi and Emily aren't. Emily might as well be officially living with them the way she's round all the time, well, before they went off on holiday, of course, but yeah, she's more a Campbell than a Fitch now and Naomi doesn't mind that one bit. In fact, it makes her twattish self quite happy. "Naoms, what you looking at?" Emily asks, placing her hand on her girlfriends arm and stroking lightly. "We've got to go inside, you know?"

"Yeah." Cook. Her mum. Keith. She didn't want to come back to any of this really, has to, but doesn't want to. She'd left with Emily to get away from everything and now it's all coming back. Slowly, but surely it's seeping back in. Yeah, she'll admit it, she's a little afraid, helps that Emily lightly grips her hand though and smiles at her reassuringly. She smiles back and runs her thumb over the girls palm, draws a heart and Emily bites her lip, swings their hands and laughs a little.

"So, this it?" Effy asks coolly, her fingers slowly bringing a fag to her mouth, her eyes slowly scanning the building in front of her. Emily nods with a smile and says 'Home.' Naomi wants to smile at that but she's too preoccupied with Effy to even think about anything anyone is saying. "Cool." Naomi rolls her eyes. She's been quiet most of the trip and Emily's just talked at her instead of talked with her. The brunette's got that look that says she doesn't care and she really doesn't, but she does listen. She may not say much, but Naomi still hates her. Effy unnerves her. Naomi grips her hand tightly around Emily's and shuffles a bit closer. Sometimes she forgets Effy's there.

"Don't you have somewhere to be Effy? Thought you were visiting family here or something?" It's harsh, she doesn't work to hide it either but Effy's used to it by now. She's been a bitch to the brunette the whole way back, doesn't care either, dodges the glare that Emily sends her way and looks back at the house. Her mums in the window and waves at her, she raises her hand slowly and waves back. "Alright, Emily, Naomi, Brunette girl that I don't know the name of but is stunningly beautiful...shit! Sorry. Back from Mexico, I see? Hola!" He laughs to himself and wipes his hands down the sides of his trousers.

"Hey, JJ." Naomi and Emily say in unison and look away a bit. It's awkward. They don't know him, he's Cook's...whatever.

"What are you doing here, JJ?" Naomi asks and he looks at her like she's an idiot. He shakes his head and laughs.

"Surely, you must know, that Cook's taken to living with..."

"NAOMIKINS! HAHA!" He runs up to her and pulls her off his feet, over his shoulder and little and spins the blonde round. "Come here, you big ol' lezza! The Cookie Monster, he's missed you, he has! How was Mexico? Too busy eating muff to even think about drinking, right?" Looks at Emily. "Right, Red? Come here, too! Cook wants the loves of the lesbians and they want the love of him! Ain't that right ladies?" They laugh. It's nice. He lifts Emily up next and spins her around as well, she squeals and demands that he put her down, he laughs loudly but finally does set the redhead down. "Jkins! You got here a bit earlier than expected," ruffles JJ's hair and winks at the boy. "Right! Jkins, Naomikins, Naomikins, Jkins, Jkins, Red, Red, Jkins! You've met before but now we're all gonna be the best of mates, got it? Good. Now let's get those bags of yours indoors and, Blondie?" JJ laughs and shakes his head and the two girls who just smile back at them. They would be, Cook would make sure of that.

"Yeah?"

"You better have some top notch weeds in these bags otherwise me and you are gonna be having serious talks, yeah?" He looks at her pointedly and winks. She rolls her eyes.

"Still a cock, then?"

"Still a dyke?" She nods and he nods. Mutual respect and deep friendship. It's better when they talk in their own language. He laughs, "Right, babe, you better tell me fucking everything, yeah? Always wanted to go to Mexico myself and – who the fuck are you?" He stops dead and stares directly at Effy. Shifts on his feet a little and cocks an eyebrow. She doesn't flinch just stares on at him, smirks a little and drops the butt of her fag to the floor, stamps on it.

"Cook, this is Effy." Emily says for her.

"Yeah, alright, Red, I'm sure the big girl can speak for herself. So, Effy, yeah? What you doing here?"

"Just living."

Nods. "Fair play to you girlie. Livings good, yeah? Till you get burned that is." He stares at her for a couple of seconds longer before he hears JJ cough and jumps up a little. "Right, Blondie, get inside and settle yourself down with your mother! I'll bring the shit in with Jkins here, go on." She rolls her eyes and watches as he carefully watches Effy as he passes her and picks up the bags, holds out one to JJ and then grabs another, heads inside and rests both bags down on the bottom of the stairs. "Honey, I'm home!" He calls out with a laugh and hears footsteps in the kitchen. Gina emerges from the kitchen.

"Naomi, Emily!" she smiles at them with a wave and Naomi awkwardly waves back. Emily moves straight away and wraps her arms around her girlfriend's mother.

"Hey, Gina. How are you?" They break into polite conversation which ends up with Emily sitting at the table with Gina and a cup of tea for a 'good ol' chat' and she also mentions something about 'James not being very good at talking so it was nice to have someone capable of speech around' which Cook gladly gave her the finger for. She ignores him though and carries on talking to Emily. JJ stands awkwardly in the door for a second before Gina calls. "JJ, Come in here, you've been here before, don't be nervous." He shuffles in and sits in the chair at the top of the table.

Cook turns to Effy who's standing on the welcome mat, still smoking and looking around the yellow house. Doesn't show any emotion but Naomi can't help feel that she's judging the house, not that would ever bother her, but it's this Effy girl, just pisses her right off. "Well, better get in there Effy and join the thrilling conversation, yeah? Don't stand out here all your life, after all, you're just living, _aren't you?_" Naomi's eyebrows rise up at the venom in Cook's voice as Effy stares at him blankly before shuffling into the kitchen and taking up the last seat, everyone smiling at her as she sits down, she doesn't smile back.

"What the fuck, James?" It's not angry, it's just genuinely shocked. He leans over the banister and stares at the brunette in the kitchen. She looks at him and smiles. He curls his lips and raising his hands, uses his first two fingers to point at his own eyes and then point them back towards her. The classic 'I'm watching you'. "James? Seriously?"

"I know her type, Naomikins. Leech. She'll take you for everything you've got and just because she can. Trust me, I used to do it, too. Don't worry, though, blondie, I've got your back." He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a pack of fags, holds them out to the blonde and she shakes her head no. He takes one out for himself and shrugs, puts them away. Sparks up the fag and inhales. "So, how was Mexico?"

"Thanks, James." She mutters and he smirks.

"Now, don't be getting all soft on me, Naomkins! I like my women with a bit of bitch in them. Don't avoid the question, how was Mexico?"

"Yeah, it was alright." Shakes her head. Doesn't really want to talk about that, she's more worried about her best friend. He's fine on the outside, on the inside? Well, she can't really tell. This whole being real best friends is new to them.

"James, are you smoking?"

"Sorry, G!" He calls and steps over to the door, opens it and steps outside. She nods thanks at him as he holds the door open for her to walk through and then lets it swing to a close. "Pain in the arse your mum is sometimes."

She scoffs. "Tell me about it."

"Lovely really, though."

"When she wants to be."

"Isn't that a trend with Campbell women?" He offers and she shoves him.

"Dick."

"Dyke."

"I missed you." She offers and he smiles, doesn't smirk, smiles.

"Missed you, too, blondie." They hug. That's new, as well. Well, not really, but now he doesn't grab her arse every time her arms are round him. She didn't really mind it before not because she liked it but because she got used to it. That's a trend with Cook. Whatever he does you get used to or grows on you. "So, that's the Effy bird, yeah? The one that's making you become the green eyed monster and all that?"

"Yeah." Bites her lip. He looks at her and pats her on the shoulder.

"Well, fuck her, Naomikins! She ain't got nothing on you. You're fucking mint and she looks like she's dragged herself out of a ditch and staggered up your bloody door. Trust the Cookie Monster, yeah? Red is always gonna want you more than her." She nods at him, small smile. Can't care too much, just in case. It's a defence mechanism. Naomi going into lockdown. Shouldn't be talking about herself now.

"What about you? You okay?" She doesn't want to say Keith's name, doesn't want to set him off.

"Yeah, fine, Naomikins. It's shit, yeah, but your mums already had this conversation with me. Think I owe her one now, like permanently or somethin'. I offered her a shag but she turned me down. Bit pissed off to be honest because your mum looks like a machine in the sack!" He winks and waggles his tongue at her. Ah, James, there you are. She slaps him sharply and he recoils back. "Oi, Naomikins, what the fuck?" He holds his hand to his face and hisses.

"James, there are certain rules best friends have," She smiles at him sweetly. "And one of them means you can't fuck the others mum, understand?"

"Alright, alright, alright!" Backs away from her so he's out of arms length. "Your mum wanted it just as much as I did, though." She goes for him again but he dodges away and gives her the finger, slipping inside the door and slamming it shut. Oh, for fuck sake. She grumbles to herself as she grabs the handle and pulls at the door. "James! Open this fucking door right now! I'm serious, you fucking dick!" He doesn't. She knows he won't. She leans over the shrubbery and looks in through the kitchen window; Cook's made his way in and slung his arm around JJ and Emily's neck. He's laughing at something he's said and they're all looking repulsed, well, apart from Effy. Rolls her eyes and leans back against the door, slides down, he'll come get her eventually. He better do otherwise she'll cut his fucking balls off.

"Hey." She hears called from in front of her and she lifts her eyes up, for a split second she thinks Emily's in front of her, but it's Katie, but it's not. She can tell that straight away. The way the girls herself as she walks is the first thing she notices, then no make-up is the second and then finally her eyes, they're not the same. Empty; shells. She looked like Emily two years ago, that's why they looked the same. She wants to ask, but can't, she's never been close with Katie and she's sure that deep down that the twin hates her still, maybe a little bit of her hopes the girl does.

"Hey, Katie." Well, this is awkward. Katie thinks so as well. Shuffles back and forth on her feet and looks at anywhere but the blonde. Conversation. Make it. "So, how are you?" She offers getting to her feet.

"I'm alright. So...you're back? With Ems?" Katie asks, Naomi can hear a little hope in her voice and Katie smiles wide when Naomi nods.

"She's inside? You come to see her?"

"No, I'm here to see Cook." Shakes her head. "Is he here?"

"Yeah, he's inside as well. In fact most of the nineteen year olds in Bristol are sitting in my kitchen at the moment. Take a look." So she does, Naomi leans out of the way to let the girl take a peek inside and her eyes widened a bit.

"That's a lot of people in there." She states and shuffles back. Okay, she's definitely different, Naomi thinks, less of a bitch. And as much as Naomi hates to admit it, she doesn't like that one fucking bit.

She reaches out her hand and presses it lightly on Katie's forearm "Hey, are you..." Katie flinches and pulls back. What the fuck. "Katie, what's up?" Reaches out for the twin again but she pulls away for a second time. Naomi thrusts forward and grabs her sleeve, yanks it up and then drops her arm in shock. The twin's arm is marred with bruises. Welts are forming as well and her skin is stained. "What the fuck, Katie? Who the hell did this to you?" Doesn't get a reply, so she jumps to a conclusion. The only one she can think of. "Was it James? Did he do this to you?" Katie shakes her head fiercely and pulls away again. "Katie! For fuck sake stop being so stubborn!" Katie's eyes are welling now.

"I came to see Cook! Is he fucking here or not!?" She snaps and Naomi recoils this time. Nods sowly and motions toward the door. "You'll have to text him, no one's answering the door." So she does. A minute later the door swings open and Emily steps out.

"Katie! What are you doing here?" She sees her sister's red eyes and chews on her lipe. "Is...everything alright out here?" Looks between her sister and Naomi. She hates it when they fight. Katie opens her mouth to speak but Naomi cuts her off.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Your sister is just here to see, James." Doesn't want to look at Katie for a silent thank you or nod. Doesn't want to lie for Katie but can't tell Emily what she's just seen. Does James know? Is that what he was trying to keep from her in the letters? He was hiding something she could tell that, always acts like everything's fine when it's not. Fuck sake, Katie. What the hell have you got yourself into?

"Oh, okay, well, he's inside. Come in." Emily holds open the door for them with a smile and Naomi pecks her on the lips on the way in. Katie follows behind slowly and hugs her sister. She's missed her so fucking much.

*

"And then Cook told the guy that he was a 'Fucking knobjockey twat that needed to get the fuck back before he shoved a garden gnome up his arse!" JJ repeats and they all burst into laughter.

"And that's the gnome you stole from Frank Clayton's yard?" Naomi asks through tears and Cook nods and slaps his knee.

"Always wanted that gnome. Dunno, why, though, was boring as you like. Hmm, come to think about it. It looked like, Jkins, here a bit!" He ruffles JJ's hair and pulls him into one armed hug. They'd been talking for the past two hours now. Katie had been quiet at first but then she'd gotten more talkative, same with JJ. He didn't know what to say at first but eventually he joined in and they were all getting to know each other better. Naomi had sent Cook a look saying 'I know.' When she walked into the room followed by Katie and he had nodded and cleared a space on the sofa next to him for her to sit. She did. JJ had gone off with Emily and Naomi and that left Effy, Katie and Cook sitting in Naomi's front room. Fucking awkward. "So, Katiekins, how you been?"

"Fine, you?"

"Yeah, been mint, babe. Up to much lately?" It's all so fucking fake.

"Nah, not really, just with Collin and that." His jaw clenches and he shifts back on the sofa. Doesn't say anything else and the room is instantly consumed with silence. Effy doesn't say anything, just watches the pair from other side of the sofa. Katie looks about and then down to the floor. She probably shouldn't have mentioned Collin. "Cook...can we...talk alone?" He leans forward and twists his mouth to the side, nods.

Looks at Effy. "Why don't you go and find Jkins, Ems and Naomikins?" She stares at him for a second like she's not registering what he's saying but they slowly shifts her weight off the chair and walks out of the room.

"She's nice." Katie tries half hearted and Cook laughs.

"She's a bitch."

"I didn't want to say anything..." Katie tries to explain but he waves his hand for her to stop.

"Yeah, you didn't, babe, and that's fine. She's a fucking bitch and so are you. Well, you used to be. Now, I was talking to Red in there a minute ago and we'll all going to get shitfaced at Jeggers tonight, you up for it, Katiekins? Let's get some of that old you back, eh?"

"Okay."

*

Jeggers is the same as it was two years old. Blinding lights, bar at the far end, blue layout and a section up the top for the 'special guests'. "Not quite the same as the clubs in Ibiza, is it, Naoms?" She states and Naomi shakes her head, no.

"Alright, Dora the explorer, we get it, alright? You've been around the world and apparently Jeggers is too low class for you now? Well, you know what I say, Red, if you don't like it--"

"Get to fuck!" They all sound out, even Katie joins in, laughs with them all and that's enough to keep Cook from trying to response. Just looks at her and wink and she laughs. That's more like it. She's a lot like her old self when Collins not about. He still gives them the finger and they all laugh again. "Come on, 'jkin's," Emily mocks and swings her arm around JJ's shoulder. "Let's go get the drinks, yeah?"

"Yes, a diet coke for me, though. I don't drink alcoholic beverages and mum says that diet is so much better for the ca..." Emily just smiles and pulls him away.

"Best be off to get that White Russian, Naomikins?" She nods and follows after the pair. Effy left standing in front of the pair but she just rolls his eyes and her and cocks his head. "Piss off, yeah?" He grabs Katie's wrist as gently as he can and tugs a little. "Dance with me, babe?" She nods.

*

Naomi leans on the bar next to JJ and Emily. JJ's rambling on about the capacity of some aeroplane engine and Emily's nodding along like she understands everything he's saying, when she doesn't. That's nice of her, Naomi thinks, and smiles at her girlfriend. Emily smiles back and raises her drink up to her and winks, Naomi raises her glass and downs the White Russian, orders another. Someone leans awfully close to her. "Hello, lovely, how are you this evening?"

"Piss off, twat. I'm not interested."

"Take a look. I think you will be." The bloke replies. She rolls her eyes and glances at him. Takes in his shaved head, McKenzie hoodie, trackies and trainers. Laughs. "Still not interested." Fucking chavs. At least get a polo shirt out once in a while if you're going to try and pull. That's why she's with Emily. She knows what girls like.

"You a lesbo, then?"

"Yes, _mate._ I'm a big ol' fucking dyke and that's why I'm resisting your amazingly good looks and charm?" Scoffs at the end and he clenches his jaw.

"You better watch your fucking mouth, Naomi." She turns sharply towards him, but he's done. She didn't tell him her name. What the fuck? What the fuck did he say to her? Jesus. Fucking psycho.

"Naomi, are you okay?" JJ asks and tugs at her shoulder. She turns around and stares at the boy.

"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine," Her eyes travel over his shoulder. "Where's Em?"

"Dancing. With Effy." Jealousy. Fuck sake, Emily can't you keep away from her then more than ten minutes. "Naomi? Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fucking fine, JJ." Grabs her White Russian and downs her second. Pushes up off her stool and slams the glass down on the bar and heads off to find _her _girlfriend. Pushes past people and grunts a couple of times when people, mainly guys, step on her fucking foot. "Excuse me....excuse....will you just fucking move!?" They move after that and she stops Emily at the far end of the club with Effy. Dancing close, hands on hips and arms around necks, eyes closed. Effy's eyes are open though, staring straight at Naomi. She winks. She fucking winks! She marches forward but two hands catch her tightly and hold her still. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?"

"I'm sorry, but who the fuck are you?"

"Collin, and you're Naomi Campbell. I see you've got a bit of a mouth problem. Don't know when to keep it shut. I can teach you." That was him at the bar. Was this the kid Cook was talking about? The 'weedy little fuck'?

"Get off me, you dick!" She pulls away from him but he grabs harder. Digging his nails into her arms and she cries out. No one can hear her though because of the music.

"Now, listen to me you little bitch--" She slaps him, fucking hard. His head snaps back and he grabs at his face.

"I love it when they fight back." He snarls and moves forward, but a hand pulls at his top and drags him to the side. Cook pulls him close and presses his forehead hard against me, and grabs him tightly around the neck with the other hand.

"You ever touch her again. I'll kill you."

"Don't threaten me, Cook. I'll just come at you with a baseball bat again. Remember that? Remember how much that hurt?" He smirks. Naomi holds her arms and watches Cook as his hands tighten, but he doesn't punch him.

"Remember how much it hurt when I broke your nose?" He reaches up and grips Collin's nose in between his finger and thumb. Twists and Collin cries out. Still hurts. "If you come near any one of my friends again, I'll break it again, and Katie? She's off limits. Now, how about you get to fuck and piss off out of Bristol? Bring a fucking army, you cunt!" Pushes Collin back into the crowd and watches as he dodges away out of site. "Naomikins, you alright, luv?" He asks holding her arms. It's bleeding a little with nail marks. Fucking hates that kid.

"Who was that bloke, James?" She asks through shaking breathes.

"Katie's fucking boyfriend."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

*

"You ain't going back to his tonight." Cook states as Katie sparks up in the alley next to him.

"What?"

"I ain't fucking letting you go back to that cunt again. "

"You can't tell me what to do."

"I know, Katiekins, alright?"

"Know what?"

"That he fucking beats you!" She drops the fag. It's the first natural thing to do, shock. She doesn't say anything, can't. Someone knows. Someone fucking finally knows. Her body starts to shake and her hands find her face. She's crying. She's missed crying so much. Cook's arms wrap around her and she falls into them. Her knees are weak and slowly give out, sliding her to the floor. He grips her tightly and follows her down. "Katiekins, it's gonna be, alright, yeah, babe? I ain't gonna let him ever touch you again."

Her lips find his in a soft, gently kiss. He can feel the tears running down her cheeks as he kisses her back. "I've missed you, Cook." She says when she pulls away. "You're really a nice guy, you know that?"

He nods. "Want to stay at Naomi's for a while? I'm sure she'll be fine with it."

"Yes please." So she does.


	6. Green Eyed Monster

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skins! I wish I did though!**

**Chapter Six:**

When she met Collin he was lovely. He didn't have this attitude that he had now or his creepy friends. He was nice. He had been nice once, and then everything had gone to shit.

*

_Things hadn't worked out with Cook. Realistically she knew they never would because neither of them do the 'love' thing. Cook likes sex, Katie likes sex and they liked sex with each other. Sure, they cared about each other but it wasn't enough. Cook was too closed off at the time and Katie just couldn't handle it all. The self loathing, the pity, the pain. Watching him cry was one of the worst things she'd ever seen. He's just so...strong, you know? And then just watching that was just too much, yeah? Like, heartbreaking. So, she does another shot and shifts up on her stool a little. "Another." The barman is creepy, so he instantly produces another and pushes up his glasses, winking at her. She cringes and downs another. Her face cringes...she hasn't felt the burn for a long time. It's back now. Maybe, it's a subconscious thing? The burns not there when you want to forget but when you don't it's there. She doesn't want to forget Cook. "Beer, please, mate?" The barman snaps out of his trance and looks away from Katie to the boy sitting on the stool next to her. Gets him a beer and then goes back to staring. _

"_Alright, I'm Collin, what's your name?" Holds out his hand to her. He's a loser. She hasn't got any friends at the moment though. Emily's fucked off with Naomi, Naomi's a bitch and Cook, well, they've just stopped talking. Holds out her hand to him and shakes it._

"_Katie, and if you think you've like, got a chance with me. Keep dreaming." Turns towards the bar and nods at the barman. He brings her another._

"_Not too often that I see fit girls in shitty bars. Problems?"_

"_Yeah, who hasn't got problems?."_

"_Not me. I'm dandy, Katiekins."_

"_Don't call me that."_

"_What? Katiekins?"_

"_Don't."_

"_Okay." Places his hand on her shoulder and smiles at her. "It'll be okay. Whatever it is or whoever fucked you up. Count on that." Smiles at her and walks away, back to his two mates sitting at the bar. He was okay, nice at a push. Turns in her seat. She needs a friend. Walks over and sits down with them. Her usual confident self. _

_*_

_They're friends. And Friends tell friends everything. She tells him about her sister, Naomi, Cook, JJ, Freddie and the rest. The whole fucking story and he's nice about it. Nods at the right times, comments at the right times and hugs her afterwards. Kisses her afterwards and she kisses back because...he's nice and she wants nice for once. Well, she thought he was nice._

_*_

_The first time it happened was the worst. Shock is the main thing. Yeah, it fucking well hurt but still she wasn't expecting it. They'd been together for about two months and she'd happened to spot Cook across the street. She didn't wave. Collin noticed. "That him?" He grunts. She nods. He doesn't say anything else. It happened at his. His apartment. It's grubby and looks like it could collapse at even second, it's not good enough for her. She deserves better, wants better. He's clattering around, slamming cupboard doors and kicking the bin. "What the fuck, Collin? Stop being a dickhead and come fuck me already!" She calls. He doesn't come straight away. He ruts on top of her for a couple of minutes before slumping against her. She fucking hates sex with him. He's so shit. He knows it as well. "Did you come, babe?" He whispers in her ear after every time, and like, that's the biggest turn off ever. She gulps and nods. He knows she's lying. He's let it go in the past before but not this time. "Liar. Lying whore." She pushes him off her and rolls away. _

"_What the fuck did you just call me?"_

"_You heard me. Whore!" She shots up and slaps him. He has not fucking right! What the fuck? Dickhead. Fuck this, she's leaving. Moves towards her clothes and starts to gather them up. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!"_

"_You're not talking to me Collin, you're being a dickhead. Just fuck off, yeah? I'll speak to you tomorrow." He slaps her. Her head snaps to the side and her face swells with pain. Her hand flies to her cheek and she presses tightly against it. Her eyes are welling with tears. It was so fucking hard, his hand, was so fucking hard. "Jesus, you're fucking psychotic!" She hisses and shifts away from him. He follows and pins her to the wall behind her. "Don't talk back to me, you little bitch!" He grips her wrists hard and she cries out._

"_Collin! You're hurting me!"_

"_Good." He hits her again. Not a slap this time, he punches her. Her head snaps back against the wall, a loud crack thundering out. Her heads bleeding, she can feel it running down her neck. Groans. He slaps her again and she slides to the floor. "Learn your place bitch! I pick you up when you had nothing and if you don't want nothing again then you'll do what I say from now on. You stay away from Cook! Your sister! Naomi! All of them, got it?"_

"_Why!? What the fuck have they done?" Slaps her again and she chokes out a sob. Her eyes are so swollen she can barely see out of them...she can still cry. She's Katie fucking Fitch and she's not going to let some bloke push her around. Pull up your socks and stand up tall and all that stuff. Gathers herself together and pushes herself to her feet. _

"_Did I say you could talk?" Slaps her again._

"_What's fucking wrong with you?"_

"_Shut up." He hits her again and she finally shuts up. Just slumps there and takes the beating, tears streaming down her face, sobs crawling their way out of her throat. Cook. She fucking wants him to come save her right now. Why did she fucking let him go?_

_*_

_She thought that maybe it was a one off. Maybe he got angry and that he was just jealous. It wasn't a one off though. It became a regular thing. The second time he told her that if she cried that he'd hit her harder so she trained herself to be strong. To not cry. _

_She wants to leave him. To be the strong Fitch she is to everyone else, the bitch. She wants to ring Cook. Emily. Even fucking Naomi because she can't take this anymore! Can't take the beatings, the abuse. It's all too fucking much even for her. She used to be strong. She used to be Katie Fucking Fitch...now she's just Katie. _

_*_

"Cook, I think I should go home now." She says it from the bed. He glances over his shoulder and winks at her.

"And why would you be saying a crazy thing like that, Katiekins?" He puts the CD into the player and closes the tray with a tap of his thumb. He turns back to her and smiles widely at her, big cheesy grin. "Well, babe?"

"I've been here for three days. Collin's going to go ape shit." She doesn't look at him. Looks at the floor, rubs her arms lightly. Cook's been watching. Not in a weird way or anything but he's been checking the bruises on her arms, they're fading now. Hardly there, well, some of them. She can't go back. He won't fucking let her. Ain't happening. "Plus I'm sure Campbell wants me gone now. Fucking hates me, she does."

"Naomikins doesn't hate you, babe. She understands that you need to be here for a little while," Sits down on the end of the bed next to her. "You ain't going back."

"Oh, yeah? And you're going to stop me?" She challenges. Flares a little and Cook likes it. Wants the flare back.

"Yeah." She flinches at the response. Shifts back away from him and he sighs. Fuck sake. He didn't mean like that.

"Katiekins..."

"Fuck off."

"Come on, babe, you know I'd never do anything like that."

"Oh, yeah? Why?" Silence. He has the reason. It's fucking sitting right on the tip of his tongue. Doesn't say it though, he can't, forbidden it fucking is. So he shakes his head and she sighs. "Grow up, Cook. You can't fucking save me. No one can."

"You're not exactly fucking helping yourself right now, are you?"

"You don't understand! This isn't real, okay? When I go back it's going to be the same but he's going to be even angrier and I...I just can't make it....worse...it can't be any worse because the worse it gets the realer it becomes...and Cook, I..I don't want it to be real. It can't be fucking real, okay? It can't." Tears, she can feel them running down her face, well, one. It slides down her cheek and Cook catches it on his finger. Holds it up to her and then nods. Turns back around and moves over the CD player, presses a button and couple of times and turns back.

"Katiekins, It's real," She shakes her head, no. He moves back over towards the bed and sparks up a fag, inhales and exhales. "Every single thing that's ever happened in your life, babe, is real. All the good stuff and all the shit stuff. Just gotta phase it out, though, otherwise you let it consume you. You told me that. When you found out about Freds. That's what you said and you were fucking right, yeah? You've got to..." She looks away from him. Doesn't want to hear it. Grabs her head and turns her head back towards him. "Oi, look at me, you tit." She smiles at that. "At least you've got manners." Winks. She rolls her eyes and sniff. "You've just gotta...Ride on. Ride on. Ride on." He sings along with the music and stands, shaking his arm a little.

"Could you like, be any more cliché, right now?" She rolls her eyes as he jumps up and belts out the lyrics along with the song. Laughs. He's such a kid sometimes.

"Oh, come on, Katiekins. Dance with me?" Holds out his hand.

"Not to this shit."

"Piss off! This is top notch stuff, babe. Like I said before, gotta appreciate the classics. I'm sure you know one of the songs on here, babe. AC/DC are legends. Come on. Bet you a fiver that you know one." She shifts on the bed and moves over to him, passes him and picks up the CD case and runs her eyes over it. Not a fucking one.

"You owe me a fiver, Cook, I could've told you that though because I don't listen to shit."

"Ah, ah, ah! Not so fast, Katiekins! Cookie's on the case!" He pulls the CD from hands and turns it over. Breaks out into a grin and laughs loudly. "You a Heath Ledger fan, babe?"

"Yeah, he was a fit as you like." Cook nods his head with a chuckle and throws the case back down, heads over to the player.

"You seen a Knights Tale?" He calls over his shoulder as he presses a button.

"Yeah."

"Good." Guitar blares out of the stereo and she sighs. For fuck sake, he's got her. He smirks at her and throws up his arms. She groans, that's a fiver down the drain. "I'll take that groan as I win and you now owe me a fiver, yeah?" She gives him the finger and he laughs. "Come on, Katiekins! Everyone knows this song! Dance with me!" Grabs her hand and she pulls it away. He looks at her pointedly.

"I don't want to."

"Come on, I want that old Katie back. Where is she? I know that bitch is in there somewhere!" Pulls her to him.

"I'm not a bitch!" She snarls and pushes away from him.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"I hate you."

"I hate you, too." She smiles and looks down at the floor. Dick. She feels anything but hate for him. "Now, since we've got past the niceties and all that shit, fancy a dace, babe?" Holds out his arm to her and she sighs. Takes it. "Wahhhhey! That's it Katiekins! Bitch Fitch is back!"

"I'm not a bitch!" She is. A little. She dances with him, well, if you can call jumping up and down dancing. That's all it is to Katie. She jumps with him, though. He sings along with the song. Waggles his tongue at her when the suggestive lyrics come on and she slaps him shoulder, he pulls her to him and she wriggles against him. His hands find her sides and his fingers move mercilessly, tickling. "Cook! Please, stop!"

"Shut up, Katiekins, you fucking love it!" He calls back and they drop down onto the bed. He doesn't stop. Tickles and watches her writhe and giggle. Stops. "You're fucking gorgeous, you know that?" he breathes. Her moves her hair away from her forehead and bumps her nose with his finger. She bites her lip. They shouldn't do this. They've tried this before. Fuck it. Her hands reach up and grab the back of his neck, pulling him towards her. Their lips crash together, his tongue pushing its way into her mouth, caressing hers. Fuck, he's missed this. Wanted her for so fucking long. She groans and shifts up on the bed, gripping at the tops of his shirt and pulling him with her, his weight shifting so that he can settle on top of her. "Fucking hell, babe." He mutters as she reaches down and tugs at his trousers.

She wants to tell him. Wants to tell him that she's missed him so fucking much and that she felt so alone ever since they stopped talking. She needs him now though. Needs to escape the pain, he'll do it. Because he loves her. _Loves her._ "Fuck, Cook." She grunts as his hand makes its way under her top and slowly slides against skin. They need this. Both of them. He lifts her top up over her head, her arms move out to cover the bruises on her chest, he shakes his head no and grabs her arms and putting them down on the bed. Kisses her. Really kisses and pushes her down on the bed. Her hands move to his top and pull it off. It's not frantic. They used to be frantic. Now it's about them. All about them.

*

"Who did this, Naoms?" Emily asks, her hand moving gently over the nail imprints in her girlfriends arms.

"Don't know. Some blunt twat in the club. Don't worry about it Ems, Cook sorted it. He's fucked off now." She has to lie. She doesn't want to lie to Emily but she has to because Katie doesn't want her sister to know. Katie told her on the way back. His name is Collin and he's Katie's boyfriend. Cook begged Naomi to let Katie stay, she did, because she's never seen Cook beg before and it was assuming and because Katie needs the help. She may hate the bitch but she's not going to let some cunt beat on her.

"You don't know that for sure, Nai. Maybe you should call the police or something? You don't want some psycho coming after you. Like you said. He knew your name." Yeah. That was weird.

"It's fine, Em. Stop overreacting!" Defensive.

"I'm just worried about you!"

"Well, you don't have to be!"

"You're my girlfriend. I'm supposed to worry. What's up with you?" Naomi looks away, towards the door. Effy's standing there. Smoking. Fuck sake, doesn't she ever just piss the fuck off?

"Can you fuck off, seriously? Just go to yours or something! You don't even have to stay here! Just piss off!" She shouts. Effy doesn't jump, just turns towards Naomi and blinks.

"Okay." Turns round and moves to grab her coat.

"What the fuck?" Emily whispers to her as she passes her and grabs Effy's hand. "Don't listen to her. She's just a bit upset. You're welcome to stay." Emily smiles at the brunette. Doesn't get a smile back.

"No, I'm not and she isn't. Mum house isn't for communal living anymore! Get the fuck out!" She hates her! She fucking hates her!

"Oi, what the fuck is going on down here?" Cook asks, scratching his head and wearing nothing but boxers.

"Don't worry, Cook. Naomi's just being a bitch." Emily mutters and pulls Effy back into the front room.

"When isn't she?" Cook offers and winks at Naomi. Winks at her again to say 'I've got you back Naomikins. Whatever you say goes'. She smiles. She can get rid of Effy for good. Bitch. Why the fuck else would she be here if she didn't want to take Emily away? She doesn't even like Naomi. It's so obvious to everyone else apart from Emily. "So, what's the problem, Red? Katiekins is trying to sleep."

"Fucked her out, did you? Thought she was supposed to have a boyfriend."

"Yeah and he was a twat. What's your point?" he sits down on the sofa next to Effy and shifts away from her. "So, what's up?"

"Apparently I'm being a cunt because I don't want people I don't know staying in my fucking house."

"Christ, will you stop with the jealous thing already? I'm not going to fuck Effy or cheat on you, Nai. Trust me. God, you're fucking jealous all the time. I've ignored it but it's too much sometimes. I can have friends that are girls."

"Not friends that want to fuck you, you can't!"

"What is this even about? This was about that bloke in the club and now it's about this." Emily replies. "And plus, Effy doesn't want to fuck me, do you, Eff?" Silence. Cook coughs and raises his eyebrows at Naomi. "Right, Eff?" Effy nods her head. Emily shifts back a little.

"What?"

"Think it's time you leave, princess. The Inn's out of rooms. Now fuck off to the barn." Cook stands and motions to the door.

"You want to fuck me?" Emily says again. Disbelieving. So naive. So fucking innocent. Naomi bites her lips.

"I'm sorry, I..."

"Just...don't." Emily mutters. Fuck she's been stupid. She thought Effy was her friend...walks up the stairs.

"Leave it, Naomikins. I'll make sure this bint gets out. Go to bed." He nods and she smiles her thanks. Stupid Katie and her secret. Stupid Effy and her wanting to fuck her girlfriend. It can never just be peaceful can it. The window smashes behind her and a brick comes through. "I know she's in there, James!" Someone calls and then a car revs and accelerates away. Cook's moving over the glass and picking up the brick. "Shit! Fuck! Sorry, about this Naomi."

"It's him, isn't it?" Naomi asks and Cook nods.

"What the fuck, Cook?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

It's not.

Emily appears at the bottom of the stares. "Right, I'm serious. Tell me the what is going on now." Cook and Naomi look at each other. Fuck. Effy just blinks.

"Cook?" Katie's voice calls from the top of the stairs.

"Yeah, babe?" He calls back. All eyes on him.

"It's him, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Fuck, he feels like he's on repeat lately.

**A/N: A filler chapter here :D Hope this was okay. Let me know what you think! :D You guys rule!**


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